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STUDIES   IN   ECONOMICS  AND   POLITICAL  SCIENCE. 

Edited  by  the  Hon.  W.  Pember  Reeves,  Ph.D., 
Director  of  the  London  School  of  Economics  and  Political  Science. 

No.  50  in  the  Series  of  Monographs  by  writers  connected  with  the  London 
School  of  Economics  and  Political  Science. 


THE  DEVELOPMENT   OF 
RATES    OF    POSTAGE 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF 
RATES     OF    POSTAGE 

AN     HISTORICAL     AND 
ANALYTICAL   STUDY 


BY 


A.    D.    SMITH,  B.Sc.    (Econ.) 

OF     THE     secretary's    OFFICE, 
GENERAL  POST  OFFICE,  LONDON 


WITH    AN    INTRODUCTION    BY 

THE    RIGHT   HON.    HERBERT    SAMUEL,    M.P. 
Postmaster-General   i  910-14  and   191 5-16 


ii»i»M;4i»ii"aif»i»K*ti. 


LONDON:  GEORGE  ALLEN  k   UNWIN  LTD. 
RUSKIN   HOUSE  40    MUSEUM    STREET,   W.C.  i 


^4 

^O  TV 

^:Dhi. 

[Tresis    approved  for    the   Degree   of  Doctor   of 
Science  {Economics)  in  the    University  of  London'^ 

Fint  published  in  1917 


(All  rights  reserved) 


PEBFACE 

This  stady,  which  was  prepared  primarily  as  a  Eesearch 
Studentship  Keport  for  the  University  of  London,  is  intended 
to  be  a  contribution  to  the  history  of  rates  of  postage,  and 
an  attempt  to  ascertain  the  principles,  economic  or  other- 
wise, on  which  they  are  and  have  been  based. 

The  Postmaster-General  accorded  me  permission  to  consult 
the  official  records  at  the  General  Post  Office,  London,  and 
through  this  courtesy  I  have  been  enabled  to  include  a 
detailed  examination  of  the  economic  aspect  of  the  rates 
in  the  inland  service  in  this  country,  and  to  place  in  the 
Appendix  copies  of  some  original  documents  which  have  not 
before  been  printed.  Without  this  permission,  which  I  desire 
here  to.  acknowledge,  it  would,  indeed,  scarcely  have  been 
possible  to  undertake  the  inquiry.  It  must  be  made  clear, 
however,  that  the  work  is  of  entirely  private  character,  and 
cannot  be  taken  as  in  any  way  expressing  the  views  of  the 
British  Postal  Administration. 

In  1912,  as  the  holder  of  the  Mitchell  Studentship  in 
Economics  at  the  University  of  London,  I  visited  Ottawa 
and  Washington ;  in  1913  I  visited  Paris  and  the  International 
Bureau  at  Berne ;  and  in  1914,  Berlin.  I  am  much  indebted 
to  the  various  postal  administrations  visited,  to  whom,  by 
the  courtesy  of  the  Postmaster-General,  I  carried  official  letters 
of  introduction  in  addition  to  my  letters  from  the  University, 
for  facilities  to  consult  official  papers  relating  to  the  subject 
of  investigation,  and  for  assistance  from  members  of  the 
staff  with  whom  I  was  brought  into  contact. 

The  work  was  all  but  completed  at  the  outbreak  of 
war,  but  publication  has  been  unavoidably  delayed.  The 
overpowering  necessities  created  by  the  war  have  caused 
Governments  again  to  look  ^t^  postage  for  increased  revenue. 

3G  iij2'J 


vi  PREFACE 

Penny  postage  itself  has  been  in  danger  in  the  country  of 
its  origin.  Various  war  increases  of  postage  have  already 
been  made,  both  here  and  abroad,  and  brief  particulars  of 
the  changes  in  the  countries  dealt  with  have  been  included. 
Further  proposals  for  increasing  the  revenue  from  postage 
will  possibly  be  made,  and  I  am  hopeful  that  these  pages, 
in  which  the  course  of  postage  is  traced,  may  then  be  found 
of  service. 

For  the  privilege  of  numerous  facilities  in  connection  with 
my  work  on  the  rates  in  this  country  I  am  indebted  to 
Mr.  W.  G.  Gates,  Assistant- Secretary  to  the  Post  Office  ; 
and  for  assistance  in  my  inquiries  abroad  I  am  indebted  to 
Dr.  E.  M.  Coulter,  C.M.G.,  Deputy  Postmaster-General,  Ottawa, 
and  Mr.  William  Smith,  I.S.O.,  at  the  time  of  my  visit 
Secretary  to  the  Canada  Post  Office;  to  Congressman  the 
Hon.  David  Lewis,  of  Maryland,  and  Mr.  Joseph  Stewart, 
Second  Assistant  Postmaster-General,  United  States  Post 
Office  ;  to  M.  Vaille,  of  the  Secretariat  Administratif,  Ministry 
of  Posts  and  Telegraphs,  Paris ;  and  to  M.  Euffy,  Director  of 
the  International  Bureau,  Universal  Postal  Union,  Berne. 

I  am  especially  indebted  to  Professor  Graham  Wallas  for 
valuable  suggestions  and  advice. 

A.  D.  SMITH. 
London  School  op  Economics, 
1917. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface  .......      v 


Introduction     .     .     .     .     .  .  xi 

I.  The  Rate  for  Letters— 

Letter  Post  in  England      .             .            .  .1 

Letter  Post  in  Canada        .            .            .  .37 

Letter  Post  in  the  United  States  of  America  .     59 

Letter  Post  in  France         .            .            .  .78 

Letter  Post  in  Germany     .            .            .  .97 

IL    The  Rate  for  Newspapers— 

Newspaper  Post  in  England           .             .  .  Ill 

Newspaper  Post  in  Canada  .  .  .136 
Newspaper  Post  (Secont^Jass  Mail)  in  the  United 

States  of  America  •^^           .            .  .  148 

Newspaper  Post  in  France             .            .  .  164 

Newspaper  Post  in  Germany         .            .  .  173 

III.    The  Rate  for  Parcels— 

Parcel  Post  in  England      .            .            .  .183 

Parcel  Post  in  the  United  States  of  America  .  191 
Parcel  Post  in  France  ....  204 
Parcel  Post  in  Germany    ....  209 

Tii 


viii  CONTENTS 

IV.    Minor  Rates- 
page 
(i)  Book  Post        .  .  .  .  .220 

(ii)  Samples  .  .  .  .  .229 

(iii)  Commercial  Papers     ....  238 
(iv)  Postcards  .....  241 

(v)  Rate  for  Printed  Matter  for  the  Blind        .  244 
(vi)  Minor   Rates    in    the    United    States    and 

Canada     .....  244 

V.    Local  Rates  .  .  .  .  .  .247 

VI.    International  Rates— 

(i)  International  Letter  Post       .  .  .  263 

(ii)  International  Parcel  Post       .  .  .  277 

VII.    An  Analysis  of  Cost— 

Method     .  .  .  .  .  .283 

Cost  .  .  .  .  .  .289 

VIII.    Conclusion     .  .  .  .  .  .312 

Appendix  A— 

I.   RATES       OF       inland       LETTER       POSTAGE 

CHARGED   IN  ENGLAND,   1635-1915  .   336 

II.   FOREIGN   RATES   IN   THE   BRITISH  SERVICE  340 

III.  THE  THURN  AND  TAXIS  POSTS  IN  GERMANY  349 

IV.  PARCEL  POST  IN   CANADA      .               .               .  355 
V.   THE   SUPPLEMENTAL  SERVICES           .                .  357 

VI.  POST  OFFICE  REVENUE  .  .  .   358 

VII.  GRAPHS  .  .  ,  .  .   368 


CONTENTS  k 

Appendix  B— 

PAGE 

DOCUMENTS    AND    EXTRACTS    ILLUSTRATING    ASPECTS 
OF  POSTAL  HISTORY — 

(i)  Ancient  Posts  .....  374 
(ii)  Nuncii  and  Cursores ....  377 
(iii)  Witherings'  Scheme  for  the  Reform  of  the 

Posts  in  England,  1635    .  .  .378 

(iv)  The   Monopoly   and  the  General   Farm    of 

the  Posts  .  .  .  .  .380 

(v)  The  English  Post  Office  in  1681       .  .  384 

(vi)  The  Cross  Posts  .  .  .  .388 

(vii)  The  Early  Posts  in  North  America .  .391 

(viii)  The    Clerks  of    the   Road   and    the   Trans- 
mission of  Newspapers    .  .  .  403 

Appendix  C— 

list  of  authorities      .....  412 


Index 425 


INTEODUCTION 

This  book  contains  a  collection  of  facts  and  an  examination 
of  principles  which  will  be  of  value  to  all  students  of  the 
subject  with  which  it  deals.  It  is  more  comprehensive  than 
any  book  on  rates  of  postage  yet  published  in  the  English 
language,  or,  I  believe,  in  any  other.  It  is  careful  and 
unbiased,  and  although  here  and  there  some  of  the  author's 
conclusions  may  not  meet  with  unanimous  acceptance,  they 
cannot  fail  to  stimulate  useful  discussion  on  a  matter  which 
is  far  more  important  than  is  often  realized. 

The  whole  of  our  social  organization  has  come  to  depend 
in  large  degree  upon  the  post.  Commerce,  in  all  its  depart- 
ments, relies  upon  it.  All  the  variety  of  associations  which 
are,  in  their  wide  expansion,  distinctive  of  modern  civilization 
and  necessary  to  its  life  and  energy — employers'  associations, 
trade  unions,  co-operative  societies,  friendly  societies,  religious 
bodies,  political  and  propagandist  organizations  of  every  kind, 
local,  national,  and  international — the  whole  nervous  system 
of  the  modern  State,  depends  upon  the  quick  transmission 
of  information  and  ideas;  it  would  never  have  reached  and 
could  not  maintain  its  present  development  without  cheap, 
reliable,  and  speedy  means  of  communication.  The  indirect 
effects  of  changes — even  small  changes — in  the  postal  system 
are  often  extensive  and  almost  incalculable. 

Where  the  State  itself  conducts  an  industry  there  is  always 
a  risk  that  commercial  considerations  and  fiscal  considerations 
will  not  be  sufficiently  distinguished.  Charges  may  be  fixed  ' 
at  a  higher  point  than  is  warranted  by  the  cost  of  the  services 
rendered.  The  surplus  goes  to  the  national  revenue.  It  is 
a  tax,  but  a  concealed  tax,  and  in  the  case  of  postal  rates 
it  is  one  of  the  worst  kinds  of  tax,  a  tax  on  communications. 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

On  the  other  hand,  charges  may  be  fixed  at  a  lower  point 
than  will  cover  the  cost  of  the  service.  The  deficit  is  a 
subsidy,  but  a  concealed  subsidy.  The  halfpenny  postage 
rate  for  bulky  newspapers,  for  example,  or  the  extension  of 
telegraph  offices  to  rural  districts,  may  be  socially  useful,  but 
they  are  unremunerative.  The  loss  that  they  involve  to  the 
Exchequer  may  be  justifiable,  but  if  so  it  should  be  deliberately 
incurred.  It  should  not  be  hidden  in  the  profit  that  is  made 
on  the  letter  post.  Without  a  scientific  examination  into  the 
actual  cost  of  each  part  of  the  postal  and  telegraphic  service, 
and  into  the  precise  relation  of  revenue  to  cost,  the  charges 
may  include,  haphazard,  an  excess  which  is  nothing  but  pure 
taxation,  the  expenditure  may  include  an  addition  which  is 
nothing  but  pure  subsidy,  and  neither  the  administrator  nor 
the  taxpayer  may  be  aware  of  the  fact. 

It  is  therefore  one  of  the  essential  duties  of  the  Post  Office 
to  make  such  examinations,  and  of  students  or  critics  of 
postal  affairs  to  check  or  to  supplement  them.  Mr.  A.  D. 
Smith  has  made  a  useful  contribution  to  the  application,  in 
this  sphere,  of  the  methods  of  science  to  the  conduct  of 
industry;  and  since  the  postal  service  is  the  most  inter- 
national of  all  forms  of  social  activity,  it  may  be  expected 
that  his  contribution  will  be  of  value,  and  will  have  its 
influence,  far  beyond  the  limits  of  our  own  country. 

HEEBEKT  SAMUEL. 


I 
THE  RATE  FOR  LETTERS 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND 

In  England  the  postal  service,  as  an  organized  means  for 
the  carrying  of  the  King's  despatches,  dates  back  some  four 
hundred  years,  and  as  a  recognized  arrangement  for  the 
carrying  of  letters  for  the  pubhc,  some  three  hundred  years. 
Before  the  establishment  of  a  regular  system  of  posts,  provi- 
sion had  been  made  for  carrying  the  King's  despatches  by 
special  messengers,  called  nuncii  or  cursores,  attached  to  the 
royal  household. ^  Their  function  was  naturally  one  of  import- 
ance, and,  from  early  times,  large  sums  wei^e-  j3j?pended  in 
their  maintenance.  They  v^^ere  employed  on  the  private  apd 
confidential  business  of  the  Crown  and  ol  m^ibef^cvf-'lihe 
royal  household,  and  on  affairs  of  State,  both  in  England  and 
abroad,  although  their  function  was  primarily  to  serve  the 
convenience  of  the  King. 

This  was  a  system  for  the  conveyance  of  official  despatches 
only.2  No  public  provision  was  made  for  the  conveyance  of 
letters  for  private  individuals.  Such  letters  were  conveyed  by 
servants,  by  special  messengers,  or  by  the  common  carriers,3 
and  there  is  evidence  of  the  existence  of  a  considerable  private 
correspondence  in  the  frequent  issue  of  writs  during  the 
fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  ordering  supervision  of  the 
traffic   in  private  letters,   the  uninterrupted   transmission   of 

'  Report  from  Secret  Committee  on  the  Pest  Office  (Commons),  1844,  Appx.,  p.  21. 
=  Ibid.,  p,  4.     Annual  Report  of  the  Postmaster-General,  1854,  p.  8. 
3  Encyclopedia  of  the  Latvs  of  England,  London,  1908,  vol.  xi.  p.  344.     J.  W. 
Hyde,  TJie  Post  in  Grant  and  Farm,  London,  1894,  p.  131. 

2  ' 


2        ^  .....,,  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

which  was  a  source  of  much  anxiety  to  the  Crown  from  fear 
of  the  fomenting  of  sinister  and  treasonable  plots  against  itself.^ 

The  establishment  of  the  nuncii  or  cursores  developed  into 
a  regular  system.  On  certain  lines  of  road  relay  stages 
were  set  up,  at  which  the  messengers  might  without  delay 
obtain  a  change  of  horses,  a  system  first  set  up  by  Edward  IV 
in  1482,  during  the  war  with  Scotland.^  Such  relay  messengers 
were  called  '*  posts,"  a  word  borrowed  from  the  French.3  The 
term  was  also  applied  to  the  line  of  route,  and  the  expression 
*'post,"  or  "  line  of  posts,"  was  used  to  denote  a  route  along 
which,  at  certain  stages,  post-horses  were  kept  in  readiness  for 
the  use  of  the  King's  messengers.  Travelling  in  this  way  the 
messengers  were  able  to  cover  a  hundred  miles  a  day.  The 
establishment  of  lines  of  regular  posts  became  a  feature  of 
the  administrative  system,  and  a  special  officer  of  the  royal 
household  was  appointed  to  control  them. 

The  first  recorded  Master  of  the  Posts  was  Brian  Tuke, 
who  held  the  office  in  1512.  The  posts,  like  the  establish- 
ment of  special  messengers,  were  maintained  solely  at  the 
cost  of  the  King.  The  master  received  a  salary  from  the 
King  (which  in  a  patent  issued  in  1545  is  given  as  £66  13s.  4d. 
a  year),  and  also  the  amount  of  his  expenses  incurred  in 
;  providing,  jfor  ihe    carrying    of    letters.      The  regular   post- 

^7  Rej^ori  frfy^  Secrai  Committee  an  the  Post  Office  [Commons),  1844,  Appx.,p.  95. 

'  •!!»  1:^2^  a  Hv*it  or  letter  was  issued  to  the  Constable  of  Dover  and  Warden  of  the 
Cinque  Ports|  to  the  Mayor  and  Sheriffs  of  London,  the  Bailiffs  of  Bristol, 
Southampton,  and  Portsmouth,  and  the  Sheriffs  of  Hants,  Somerset,  Dorset, 
Devon,  and  Cornwall,  reciting  that  previous  orders  de  scrutinio  faciendo  had  not 
been  observed,  in  consequence  of  which  many  letters  prejudicial  to  the  Crown 
were  brought  into  the  kingdom  ;  and  commanding  them  to  ••  make  diligent 
scrutiny  of  all  persons  passing  from  parts  beyond  the  seas  to  England,  and  to 
stop  all  letters  concerning  which  sinister  suspicions  might  arise,  and  their 
bearers,  and  to  keep  the  bearers  in  custody  until  further  directions,  and  to 
transmit  the  letters  so  intercepted  to  the  King  with  the  utmost  speed." 

=  Kichard  III  in  1484  ••  followed  the  practice  which  had  been  recently  intro- 
duced by  King  Edward  in  the  time  of  the  last  war  with  Scotland  (1482)  of 
appointing  a  single  horseman  for  every  20  miles,  by  means  of  whom  travelling 
with  the  utmost  speed,  and  not  passing  their  respective  limits,  news  was  always 
able  to  be  carried  by  letter  from  hand  to  hand  200  miles  within  two  days." — 
Third  Contintuition  of  the  Chronicle  of  Croyland,  Oxford,  1684,  p.  671.  The 
system  was  identical  with  that  of  the  posts  of  antiquity  {vide  Appendix  B, 
pp.  374-7,  infra). 

3  Derived  from  posta,  a  contraction  for  posita,  from  ponere,  to  place.  The 
general  use  of  the  word  is  to  signify  relays  placed  at  intervals  on  the  routes 
followed  by  messengers. 


LETTER  POST   IN   ENGLAND  3 

masters  received  a  daily  wage  from  the  King.  On  lines 
along  which  no  regular  post  had  been  established,  but  along 
which  it  might  on  occasion  be  necessary  to  send  special 
messengers,  the  townships  were  obliged  to  furnish  horses  for 
the  service  of  the  messengers.  Kemarks  in  contemporary 
papers  suggest  that  no  payment  was  made  in  such  cases,  but 
that  horses  were  supplied  gratis  for  the  King's  service.^  There 
is  no  record  of  the  early  days  of  Tuke's  tenure  of  the  office 
of  Master  of  the  Posts ;  but  in  1533  Thomas  Cromwell  com- 
plained to  Tuke  concerning  the  condition  of  the  posts,  and 
the  great  default  in  the  conveyance  of  letters. ^ 

The  posts  were  in  many  cases  established  on  account  of 
some  special  circumstance,  and  were  of  a  temporary  character. 
The  first  regular  post — that  established  in  1482  during 
the  war  with  Scotland — was,  of  course,  temporary ;  but  at 
much  later  dates,  when  "ordinarie,"  or  permanent,  posts  had 
been  established,  such  as  the  post  from  London  to  Berwick 
and  that  from  London  to  Beaumaris,  it  was  still  usual  to 
establish  "  extra  ordinarie "  posts  "  in  divers  places  of  the 
Realme  "  as  occasion  might  from  time  to  time  require,  as,  for 
example,  during  the  periods  of  the  sovereign's  progresses. 3 

The  early  posts  had  a  second  function,  not  less  in  impor- 
tance than  that  of  providing  for  the  conveyance  of  the 
sovereign's  despatches,  and  despatches  sent  on  affairs  of  State, 
viz.  the  provision  of  means  by  which  persons  actually  travelling 
on  the  business  of  the  sovereign,  though  not  bearing  despatches, 

'  "  Ne  men  can  kepe  horses  in  redynes  without  som  way  to  here  the  charges." 
— Tukc  to  Cromwell,  17  August  1533  {Report  from  Secret  Committee  on  the  Post 
Office  {Covmwns),  1844,  Appx.,  p.  32). 

2  '*  The  King's  pleasure  is  that  postes  be  better  appointed,  and  laide  in  al 
places  most  expedient ;  with  commaundoment  to  al  townshippes  in  al  places, 
on  payn  of  lyfe,  to  be  in  such  redynes,  and  to  make  such  provision  of  horses 
at  al  tymes,  as  no  tract  or  losse  of  tyme  be  had  in  that  behalf." — Ibid.,  Appx., 
p.  32. 

3  '•  A.D.  1572.  The  Office  of  the  Maister  of  the  Postes.  The  Accompte  of 
Thomas  Randolphe  esquier,  Maister  of  the  Postes.  ...  As  also  of  the  yssuyng 
and  defrayment  owte  of  the  same,  as  well  for  the  wages  of  the  ordinarie  postes 
laide  betwene  London  and  Barwicke  and  elles  where  within  hir  Ma*'*  Realme  of 
Englande,  As  also  for  the  wages  of  divers  extra  ordenarie  postes  laid  in  divers 
places  of  the  Realme  in  the  tyme  of  hir  Ma'*  severall  progresses,  and  also  to 
divers  postes  for  cariage  of  packets  of  I'res  from  Sittingbourne,  Dartforde 
Rochester,  Canterbury  and  Dover  for  hir  Ma"  service  and  affayres,  as  occasion 
from  tyme  to  tyme  did  requier." — Ibid.,  Appx.,  p.  34. 


4  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

might  do  so  with  facility.  This  second  function,  the  travelling 
post,  continued  until  the  eighteenth  century.  It  is  a  function 
which  is  essentially  akin  to  the  provision  of  a  means  of  inter- 
communication by  means  of  letters.  In  many  parts  of  the 
United  Kingdom,  and  also  in  other  countries,  the  means 
provided  for  the  conveyance  of  the  mail  are  still  largely 
used  by  persons  desiring  to  travel.^ 

The  use  of  the  post-horses  by  ordinary  travellers  commenced 
at  an  early  period.  In  1553,  when  the  posts  had  been  in 
existence  only  some  fifty  or  sixty  years,  a  rate  of  a  penny  a 
mile  for  persons  riding  post  was  fixed  by  statute. ^ 

Great  abuses  grew  up  round  the  travelling  post,  or  ''  thorough 
post,"  as  it  was  called.3  Eiders  in  post  frequently  failed  to 
pay  a  reasonable  sum  for  the  hire  of  horses ;  and  since  King's 


*  In  the  United  Kingdom  this  system  exists  to  a  considerable  extent,  chiefly 
in  the  south  and  west  of  Ireland,  and  in  many  parts  of  Scotland,  more 
especially  among  the  Western  Isles.  In  remote  parts  the  means  of  communica- 
tion are  in  general  provided  for  the  double  purpose,  and  economy  to  the 
Post  Office  naturally  results  from  the  fact  that  the  contractors  for  the  mail 
service  have  a  source  of  income  in  addition  to  the  Post  Office  payment.  Indeed, 
it  is  probable  that  since  the  days  of  the  post-boys  by  far  the  greater  portion 
of  the  mails  has  always  been  conveyed  by  means  not  exclusively  provided  for 
that  purpose.  The  mail  coaches  carried  passengers  and  goods,  and  it  was  from 
that  traffic  that  the  income  of  the  proprietor  was  mainly  derived.  The  pay- 
ment in  respect  of  the  mails  was  very  small,  the  real  consideration  inducing 
the  proprietors  to  carry  the  mail  being  the  fact  that  the  mail  coaches  were 
exempt  from  tolls.  The  railway  displaced  the  mail  coach,  and  increased  the 
dependence  of  the  mail  service  on  means  of  communication  provided  primarily 
for  other  purposes.  The  number  of  trains  run  solely  for  the  conveyance  of  mails 
has  always  been  extremely  small.  The  weight  of  mails  to  be  conveyed  is 
usually  insufficient  to  warrant  the  provision  of  a  special  train,  and  the  Post 
Office  is  therefore  compelled,  as  far  as  possible,  to  make  use  of  such  trains 
as  may  be  run  for  other  traffic,  endeavouring  to  obtain  such  modification  in 
the  times  and  working  as  will  make  them  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  the  mail 
service  without  destroying  their  utility  for  general  traffic.  The  existence  of 
extensive  means  of  communication  for  general  purposes  therefore  results 
advantageously  to  the  Post  Office. 

2  2  and  3  Edward  VI,  cap.  3. 

3  «'  The  Lords  of  the  Privie  Counsell,  endevouring  heretofore  the  like 
furtherance  of  the  service  of  the  State,  as  well  in  horsing  such  as  ride  on  their 
Prince's  affaires,  as  the  speedy  despatch  of  packets  in  all  places  where  Posts  were 
erected  and  ordeined,  considering  that  for  the  service  of  the  one,  a  daily  fee  is 
allowed,  and  for  the  other,  no  certaine  wages  at  all,  but  the  hire  of  the  horses 
let  out,  and  that  often  ill  paide,  whereby  they  stand  not  so  bound  to  the  one,  as 
to  attend  to  the  other ;  And  that  the  townes  and  countreys  besides  became  many 
wayes  vexed  and  perplexed,  by  the  over  great  libertie  of  riders  in  poste,  specially 
by  such  as  pretend  publike  service  by  speciall  commission,  contrary  to  the  King's 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  6 

messengers,  although  paying  no  fixed  rates,  obtained  better 
accommodation  than  others,  riders  in  post  travelling  on  their 
own  affairs  made  no  scruple  to  represent  themselves  as 
travelling  on  public  service.  Orders  directed  against  these 
abuses  were  issued  in  1603.  Eiders  in  post  on  the  King's 
affairs,  with  a  special  commission  signed  either  by  one  of  the 
Principal  Secretaries  of  State,  by  six  at  least  of  the  Privy 
Council,  or  by  the  Master  of  the  Posts,  were  to  pay  at  the 
rate  of  2Jd.  a  mile  for  a  horse.  All  others  riding  post  about 
their  own  affairs  were  to  make  their  own  terms  with  the 
postmaster,  and  to  pay  in  advance.^  The  net  result  was  that 
for  all  persons  riding  with  the  special  commission  a  fixed  rate 
was  payable  in  place  of  uncertain  rates  as  hitherto,  and  the 
postmasters  were  protected  from  being  imposed  upon  by  persons 
riding  post  on  their  private  business.  Without  the  special 
commission  it  was  useless  to  pretend  to  be  travelling  on  the 
King's  affairs.  By  this  proclamation  the  postmasters  were  also 
given  the  exclusive  right  of  letting  horses  to  travellers.^  The 
wages  of  the  postmasters  in  respect  of  the  ''  post  for  the 
pacquet "  were  a  fixed  sum  per  day,  and  a  certain  number  of 
horses  had  to  be  kept  in  readiness,  in  proportion  to  the  amount 

meaning  or  their  lordships'  orders." — Orders  for  Thorough  Posts  and  Couriers, 
riding  Post  on  the  King's  Affairs,  1603  {Report  from  Secret  Committee  on  iJie 
Post  Office  {Commons),  1844,  Appx.,  p.  38). 

The  "  Thorough  Post "  was  the  term  applied  to  the  travelling  facilities 
provided  by  the  posts,  i.e.  when  the  messenger  travelled  "  through,"  in  con- 
tradistinction to  the  "  Post  for  the  Pacquet"  (or  "Packet"),  i.e.  the  post  for 
the  transmission  of  the  mail,  or  "  pacquet." 

'  "  1.  First  it  is  ordered.  That  in  all  places  where  Posts  are  layde  for  the 
packet,  they  also,  as  persons  most  fit,  shall  have  the  benefit  and  preheminence  of 
letting,  furnishing,  and  appointing  of  horses  to  all  riding  in  poste  (that  is  to  say) 
with  horse  and  guide  by  commission  or  otherwise. 

"  2.  And,  like  as  in  the  orders  for  the  carrying  of  the  packets,  the  furtherance 
of  our  service  and  the  State  is  only  aymed  at ;  so  in  this  it  is  intended  that  none 
be  holden  to  ride  on  publique  aifairs  but  with  speciall  commission,  and  the 
same  signed  either  by  one  of  our  Principall  Secretaries  of  State,  .  .  .  and  of 
all  such  so  riding  in  publike  ai^aires,  it  shall  be  lawfull  for  the  Posts,  or  the 
owners  of  the  horses,  to  demand,  for  the  hire  of  ich  horse,  after  the  rate  of 
twopence  halfo-peny  the  mile  (besides  the  guides  groats).  But  of  all  others 
riding  poste  with  horse  and  guide,  about  their  private  businesses  the  hire  and 
prices  are  left  to  the  parties  discretions,  to  agree  and  compound  within  them- 
selves."— Ibid.,  Appx.,  p.  39. 

'  Contemporary  papers  show  that  this  was  largely  a  measure  of  police,  intended 
to  enable  the  Government  to  keep  a  watch  on  all  persons  travelling  about  the 
kingdom. 


6  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

of  the  wages  paid.  As  regards  the  service  for  the  State,  the 
system  of  posts  was  therefore  on  a  complete  and  definite 
financial  basis.  The  rates  for  the  thorough  post,  although 
not  in  any  way  rates  of  postage  in  the  modern  sense,  were  the 
first  rates  applied  to  the  service  of  the  posts  (the  pay  of  the 
postmasters  for  the  packet  post  being  merely  wages  per  diem), 
and  it  was  to  them  that  the  term  "  postage  "  was  first  applied. 
These  rates  were  in  fact  the  original  "  postage." 

The  number  of  regular  posts  was  in  early  times  quite 
small.i  In  order  to  provide  a  means  of  reaching  other  parts 
of  the  kingdom  with  some  degree  of  facility,  the  municipalities 
were  required  to  maintain,  or  at  least  provide  when  required, 
post-horses  for  the  use  of  the  King's  messengers.^  Some 
municipalities  made  definite  provision  of  horses :  Leicester, 
for  example,  maintained  ''certen  poste-horses "  (four  in 
number)  for  the  service  of  the  Prince ;  but  if  horses  were  not 
provided  voluntarily,  the  magistrates  and  constables  were 
authorized  to  seize  them  for  the  King's  service  wherever  they 
could  be  found.  3  Many  of  the  posts  continued  for  a  long 
period  to  be  of  a  temporary  nature.  Even  in  the  seventeenth 
century  some  which  it  might  be  thought  would  have  been 
important  at  any  time,  were  regarded  as  extraordinary  posts, 
and  were  discontinued  with  the  disappearance  of  the  special 
circumstances  on  account  of  which  they  had  been  established. 4 

A  third  function  became  attached  to  the  posts,  viz.  the 
transmission  of  private  letters.  As  it  is  impossible  to  say  at 
what  date  the  posts  began  to  be  used  by  ordinary  travellers, 
so  it  is  impossible  to  say  at  what  date  they  were  first  used  for 
the  conveyance  of  letters  other  than  those  on  the  affairs  of 
the  King  or  of  the  State.  The  universities  and  municipalities 
provided   services   for    the    carriage   of   their    own   letters ;  s 

^  As  late  as  1620  there  were  only  four,  and  they  touched  only  a  small  portion 
of  the  kingdom.  They  were  (1)  The  Courte  to  Barwicke,  (2)  The  Courte  to 
Beaumaris,  (3)  The  Courte  to  Dover,  and  (4)  The  Courte  to  Plymouthe. 

»  See  supra,  p.  3. 

3  "The  constables  many  times  be  fayn  to  take  horses  oute  of  plowes  and 
cartes." — Brian  Tuke,  1533  {Report  froin  Secret  Committee  on  the  Post  Office 
{Commons),  1844,  Appx.,  p.  33). 

4  The  post  from  London  serving  the  "Westerne  part"  of  the  kingdom  was 
discontinued  in  1610  as  unnecessary  except  in  time  of  war. — Ibid.,  Appx.,  p.  43. 

s  ♦*  Universities  and  great  towns  had  their  own  particular  posts ;  and  the 
$eme  horse  or  foot  post  went  through  the  journey,  and  returned  with  other 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  7 

but  from  a  very  early  period  the  posts  were  also  made  use 
of  for  the  coDveyance  of  unofficial  letters.  The  Master  of 
the  Posts  received  no  direct  profit  from  the  carrying  of  such 
letters,^  but  the  price  paid  to  him  for  the  office  of  Deputy 
Postmaster  was  probably  thereby  increased.' 

A  Proclamation  of  26th  April  1591  prohibited  the  conveyance 
of  letters  to  or  from  countries  beyond  the  seas  by  any  person 
other  than  the  ordinary  posts  and  messengers;  and  referred 
to  previous  similar  prohibitions.  The  object  of  this  prohibi- 
tion, which  foreshadowed  the  monopoly  of  the  carriage  of  all 
letters,  whether  for  places  within  the  realm  or  to  or  from 
foreign  countries,  was  alleged  to  be  the  redress  of  disorders 
among  the  posts  in  general,  and  particularly  to  prevent 
inconveniences  both  to  the  royal  service  and  the  lawful 
trade  of  honest  merchants.3  A  Proclamation  of  1609  repeated 
this  prohibition.4 

In  1626  a  legal  struggle  was  in  progress  between  Matthew 
de  Quester  and  Lord  Stanhope,  both  of  whom  claimed  to 
hold  a  King's  Patent  conferring  the  right  to  carry  foreign 
letters.5  This  litigation  led  to  laxity  and  omission  in  the 
conduct  of  the   foreign   service,  so   that  merchants  trading 

letters,  without  having  different  stages  as  at  present.  It  was  thus  practised 
later  in  Scotland  as  having  less  commerce  than  in  England." — D.  Macphcrson, 
Annals  of  Commerce,  London,  1805,  vol.  ii.  p.  400. 

'  The  Committee  of  Secrecy  of  the  House  of  Commons  were  of  opinion  that 
the  practice  of  carrying  private  letters  probably  began  at  an  early  period  and 
became  a  perquisite  of  the  postmasters  {Report  from  Secret  Committee  on  tlie 
Post  Ojfflce  {Commons),  1844,  p.  4).  '  Ibid.,  Appx.,  p.  56. 

3  Ibid.,  Appx.,  p.  36 ;  see  p.  380,  infra.  •*  Ibid.,  Appx.,  p.  41. 

s  The  business  of  carrying  foreign  letters  had  been  conducted  by  the  holder 
of  the  general  patent  for  carrying  letters,  although  that  patent  covered  only 
inland  posts  and  foreign  posts  within  the  King's  dominions.  In  1620  a  patent 
was  issued  to  Matthew  de  Quester  and  his  son,  conferring  on  them  the 
offtce  of  Postmaster  of  England  for  Foreign  Parts.  !rhe  holder  of  the  patent 
for  the  Inland  Posts,  who  had  hitherto  been  conducting  this  service, 
attempted  to  resist  this  new  grant,  but  without  success ;  and  for  some  time 
there  was  a  sort  of  triple  division  of  the  posts,  viz.  the  Inland  Posts,  the 
posts  in  parts  beyond  the  seas  within  the  King's  dominions,  and  the  posts 
for  foreign  parts  out  of  the  King's  dominions.  There  was,  nevertheless,  no 
regular  provision  for  the  conveying  of  letters  for  places  out  of  England.  The 
foreign  mails  were  conveyed  by  men  who  were  engaged  in  other  business, 
who  bought  their  places  in  the  posts,  and  were  accused  of  delaying  the  mails 
through  "more  minding  their  own  peddling  traffic  than  the  service  of  the  State 
or  merchants,  omitting  many  passages,  sometimes  staying  for  the  vending  of 
their  own  commodities,  many  times  through  neglect  by  lying  in  tippling-houses." 
—See  J.  W.  Hyde,  The  Post  in  Grant  and  Farm,  London,  1894,  p.  12. 


8  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

abroad  were  put  to  great  inconvenience.  In  consequence,  in 
November  of  that  year,  the  King  granted  the  Merchant 
Companies  permission  to  arrange  for  the  conveyance  of  their 
foreign  letters  by  their  own  messengers.  The  high  authori- 
ties were  disturbed  by  the  grant  of  this  permission,^  and  in 
October  1627  it  was  revoked  ''  upon  weightie  reasons  of 
State."  Only  the  Merchant  Adventurers  were  still  permitted 
to  use  their  own  messengers,  and  they  and  all  other  merchants 
were  required  in  times  of  war  and  danger  to  the  State  to 
acquaint  the  Secretaries  of  State  from  time  to  time  with 
what  letters  they  forwarded  abroad. 

The  foreign  post  continued  in  an  unsatisfactory  state, 
and  a  reorganization  in  accordance  with  a  proposition  sub- 
mitted by  the  Master  of  the  Foreign  Posts,  Thomas  Wither- 
ings,  was  notified  in  orders  issued  on  the  28th  January  1633. 
In  consequence  of  complaints,  both  of  Ministers  of  State 
and  merchants,  it  was  decided  to  send  no  more  letters  by 
the  carriers,  who  came  and  went  at  pleasure,  but,  in  con- 
formity with  other  nations,  to  erect  "  stafetti,"  or  packet 
posts,  at  fit  stages,  to  run  day  and  night  without  ceasing. 
Under  this  new  system  the  Foreign  Postmaster  of  England 
undertook,  with  the  consent  of  the  foreign  Governments,  to 
provide  "  stafetti "  for  the  conveyance  of  foreign  letters  on 
the  Continent,  e.g.  he  arranged  the  "  stafetti "  between 
Calais  and  Antwerp. 

For  the  inland  posts  the  financial  arrangements  of  1603 
remained  some  thirty  years  undisturbed,  and  notwithstand- 
ing that  the  posts  were  used  by  travellers,  and  for  the 
general  conveyance  of  private  letters,  they  remained  a 
charge  on  the  King's  revenue.  In  1633  the  deficit  was  some 
jG3,400,  and  in  that  year  Witherings  submitted  a  plan  for 
the   complete  reorganization  of  the  inland  posts.^     The  new 

*  "  Nether  can  anie  place  in  Christendom  bee  named  wher  merchants  are 
allowed  to  send  their  letters  by  other  body  or  posts,  then  by  those  only  which 
are  authorized  by  the  State.  .  .  .  Your  Lordship  best  knoweth  what  accompt 
wee  shal  bee  hable  to  give  in  our  places  of  that  w'^^^  passeth  by  letters  in  or 
out  of  the  land,  if  evcrie  man  may  convey  Irs,  under  the  covers  of  merchants, 
to  whome  and  what  place  hee  pleaseth." — 30th  February  1627.  John  Coke  to 
Lord  Conway  {Report  frojn  Secret  Committee  on  tlie  Post  Office  [Commons],  1844, 
Appx.,  p.  51). 

=  A  copy  is  given  in  Appendix  B,  infra^  pp.  378-380, 


LETTER   POST  IN   ENGLAND 


9 


system,  which  appHed  only  to  the  ''post  for  the  pacquet," 
was  to  be  based  on  a  definite  scale  of  charges.  Previously, 
there  had  been  no  regular  system  of  charging  letters  carried 
for  the  public,  and  it  is  at  this  point  that  the  modern  Post 
Office  emerges.  Up  to  this  time  the  conveyance  of  letters  for 
private  individuals,  although  it  may  have  been  a  source  of 
emolument  to  the  postmasters  and  couriers,  was  not  recognized 
by  the  State  as  part  of  the  function  of  the  service.  Under  the 
proposed  system,  a  charge  was  to  be  made  for  every  letter  or 
packet,  varying  in  accordance  with  the  distance  for  which  the 
letter  or  packet  was  conveyed,  and  its  size.  The  latter  was 
to  be  graduated  for  light  letters  according  to  the  number  of 
sheets,  and  for  heavier  letters  and  packets  according  to  weight, 
starting  from  the  ounce.  Here,  therefore,  is  to  be  seen  at 
the  inception  of  "  postage  "  in  the  modern  sense  a  definite 
distinction  between  the  rate  charged  on  the  ordinary  letter, 
the  weight  and  bulk  of  which  are  in  general  insignificant, 
and  that  charged  on  the  larger  and  heavier  packets  of  deeds, 
or  what  not,  which  might  be  forwarded  by  post. 

The  reform  of  the  posts  on  these  lines  was  carried  out 
by  Witherings  in  October  1635,  and  constitutes  a  remark- 
able development  of  the  Post  Office  system.  The  rates  of 
charge  were  as  follow : — 


Distance  of  Transmission. 

Single  Letter. 

Double  Letter. 

Per  Ounce. 

Not  exceeding  80  miles 
Exceeding  80  miles,  not  exceeding 

140  miles 
Exceeding  140  miles 

2d. 

4d. 
6d. 

4d. 

8d. 
12d. 

6d. 

9d. 
12d. 

The  great  change  of  1840  modified  this  system  only  at  two 
points,  viz.  (1)  uniformity  of  rate,  that  is,  the  elimination  of 
the  table  of  distances  from  the  rate-table,  and  (2)  the  intro- 
duction of  the  method  of  charge  according  to  weight  for  all 
letters  and  packets. 

The  monopoly  of  foreign  letters  was  by  this  time  well 
established,  and  the  reason  for  its  existence  well  defined. 
A  further  proclamation  of  the  11th  February  1637-8  again 
declared  this  monopoly,  and  proceeded  to  declare  a  monopoly 
of  letters   between   persons   within   the   realm,   the   second 


10  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

monopoly  being  justified,  not  on  the  ground  of  necessity  in 
order  to  guard  the  safety  of  the  State,  but  on  the  ground  that 
commerce  and  correspondence  within  the  realm  would  benefit.^ 
The  real  explanation  of  the  new  prohibition  for  inland  letters 
was  no  doubt  the  fact  that  Witherings  had  been  appointed 
Master  of  the  Inland  Letter  Office  for  the  purpose  of  bringing 
into  operation  his  scheme  for  reorganizing  the  posts,  and  it 
was  essential  to  the  success  of  the  scheme  that  he  should 
have  the  sole  right  of  carrying  letters.  There  was,  of  course, 
the  political  reason  of  danger  to  the  State  from  free  and 
uncontrolled  transmission  of  letters,  but  the  feeling  in  that 
respect  seems  not  to  have  been  so  strong  regarding  the 
inland  letters  as  regarding  the  foreign  letters.  It  developed 
later,   however. ^ 

In  1640  Witherings  was  displaced  on  some  charge  of  mal- 
administration, and  the  office  was  given  to  Philip  Burlamachi, 
a    merchant   of  the   City   of  London.     Witherings    did   not 

*  "Now  his  Majesty  .  .  .  taking  into  his  princely  consideration  how  much 
it  imports  this  State  and  this  whole  realm,  that  the  secrets  be  not  disclosed  to 
foreign  nations ;  which  cannot  be  prevented  if  promiscuous  use  of  transmitting 
or  taking  up  of  foreign  letters  by  those  private  posts  and  carriers  aforesaid 
should  be  suffered,  which  will  be  also  no  small  prejudice  to  his  merchants  in 
their  trading.  .  .  .  And  his  Majesty,  taking  further  into  his  consideration  that 
the  mutual  commerce  and  correspondency  of  his  subjects  within  his  Majesty's 
dominions  will  be  as  advantageous  and  beneficial  as  the  trade  with  foreign 
nations,  and  that  nothing  will  more  increase  and  advance  the  same  than  the 
safe  and  speedy  conveying,  carrying,  and  re-carrying  of  letters  from  one  place 
to  another  ...  he  doth  hereby  straightly  charge  and  command,  that  no  post 
or  carrier  whatsoever  within  his  Majesty's  dominions,  other  than  such  as  shall 
be  nominated  and  appointed  by  the  said  Thomas  Witherings,  shall  presume 
to  take  up,  carry,  receive,  and  deliver  any  letter  or  letters,  pacquet  or  pacquets 
whatsoever,  to  any  such  place  or  places  where  the  said  Thomas  Witherings 
shall  have  settled  posts,  according  to  the  said  grant,  except  a  particular  mes- 
senger sent  on  purpose  with  letters  by  any  man  for  his  own  occasions,  or  letters  by 
a  friend,  or  by  common  known  carriers." — Proclamation  of  11th  February  1G37-8 
(Report  from  Secret  Committee  on  tlie  Post  Office  [Commons),  1844,  Appx.,  p.  58). 

""  "1650.  June  29th.  Council  of  State  to  (Serjeant  Dendy  and  his 
assistants  ?) : — 

"  You  are  to  repair  to  some  post  stage  20  miles  from  London  on  the  road 
towards  York ;  seize  the  letter  mail  going  outward,  and  all  other  letters  upon 
the  mail  rider,  and  present  them  by  one  of  yourselves ;  the  other  shall  then 
ride  to  the  next  stage,  and  seize  the  mail  coming  inwards,  and  bring  the  letters 
to  Council,  searching  all  persons  that  ride  with  the  mail,  or  any  other  that  ride 
post  without  warrant,  and  bring  them  before  Council,  or  the  Commissioners 
for  Examinations.  All  officers  civil  and  military  to  be  assistants.  With  note 
of  like  orders  for  Chester  Koadand  the  western  roads." — Calendar  of  State  Papers 
Dorimt^  Series),  1650,  p.  223. 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND        11 

give  up  the  office  without  a  struggle.  For  two  years  he 
strove  to  retain  it,  but  without  much  success;  and  in  1642 
he  assigned  his  patent  to  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  who  continued 
the  struggle.  Burlamachi  was  backed  by  Edmund  Prideaux, 
afterwards  Attorney-General.  Into  the  merits  or  progress  of 
the  contest  it  is  unnecessary  to  enter.  It  will  be  sufficient  to 
record  that  the  Lords  espoused  the  cause  of  the  'Earl  of 
Warwick  and  the  Commons  that  of  Burlamachi ;  that  the  con- 
test continued  some  two  years  ;  and  that  in  the  end  the  Lords 
gave  way,  and  Burlamachi  continued  Master  of  the  Posts. 

The  office  fell  vacant  in  1644,  and  Parliament  appointed 
Prideaux  to  the  charge  of  the  posts.*  This  task  he 
entered  upon  with  some  seriousness,  and  with  considerable 
success.  He  extended  the  service,  but  raised  the  minimum 
postage  to  6d.  From  a  report  submitted  by  him  to  the 
Council  of  State  in  1649,  it  appears  that  he  had  established 
"  a  weekly  conveyance  of  letters  into  all  parts  of  the  nation," 
and  that  with  the  moneys  received  as  postage  he  had  been 
able  to  defray  the  whole  cost  of  the  postmasters  of  England 
with  the  exception  of  those  on  the  Dover  Koad.^  At  the  time 
of  his  appointment  the  posts  involved  a  charge  to  the  State 
of  some  i67,000  a  year.3  It  might  therefore  be  thought  that  for 
Prideaux  to  be  able  to  carry  on  the  system,  to  give  a  despatch 
of  letters  to  all  parts  of  the  kingdom  every  week,  and  at  the 
same  time  make  the  proceeds  of  postage  cover  the  whole  cost, 
except  for  the  Dover  Road,  was  a  considerable  achievement. 
The  Commons  were  not,  however,  altogether  satisfied.  The 
long  disputes  between  the  various  patentees,  and  their  anxiety 
not  to  lose  any  part  of  the  business  of  conveying  letters, 
made  it  evident  that  there  was  a  profit  other  than  the  salary 
paid  by  the  King,  notwithstanding  that  funds  for  the  main- 
tenance of  the  posts  were  drawn  from  the  Exchequer  year 
by  year.  The  office  of  Master  of  the  Posts  was  bought  and 
sold.  Witherings  sold  part  of  his  wife's  estate  to  the  value 
of  J6105  a  year  in  land  to  obtain  the  office.  The  deputy  post- 
masters also  bought  their  offices.  And  in  1642,  by  vote  of 
both  Houses,  Burlamachi  had  been  required  to  give  an  account 
of  the  profits  of  the  Letter  Office.     The  Letter  Office  was  in 

'  Cc/himons  Journal,  7th  September  1644,  p.  621. 
'  Ibid.,  2l8t  March  1650,  p.  385.  3  ibid. 


12  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

fact  not  on  the  simple  basis  of  payment  by  the  messengers 
to  the  Master  of  Posts  of  all  receipts,  payment  by  the  Master 
of  Posts  from  the  receipts  of  the  ordinary  fixed  wages  of  the 
deputy  postmasters  (together  with  the  cost  of  special  ex- 
presses) and  of  his  own  salary,  and  payment  from  the 
Exchequer  of  the  balance  necessary  to  complete  such  pay- 
ment. The  deputy  postmasters  took,  and  retained  for  their 
own  use,  the  postage  received  on  private  letters,  paying  a 
percentage  to  the  Master  of  the  Posts ;  and  they  had  also 
the  monopoly,  which  was  very  lucrative,  of  letting  horses  to 
travellers  riding  post.  In  view  of  these  profits  they  were 
prepared  to  purchase  from  the  Master  of  the  Posts  the  office 
of  deputy  postmaster,  and  sums  received  from  that  source, 
together  with  the  percentage  of  the  postage  of  private  letters, 
constituted  the  emoluments  of  the  Master  of  the  Posts, 
additional  to  his  salary.  The  Commons,  being  no  doubt  aware 
of  this,  concluded  that  there  ought  to  be  a  net  revenue  from 
the  Office,  and  required  Prideaux  to  pay  the  sum  of  ^65,000 
a  year.i 

Witherings,  who  by  some  strange  chance  seems  never  to 
have  been  altogether  ousted  from  his  offices,  but  to  have 
retained  that  of  Master  of  the  Foreign  Post,  died  in  1651, 
and  there  were  numerous  claimants  for  the  succession  to  the 
office.  The  Council  of  State  invited  all  persons  with  claims 
to  submit  them,  and  in  reporting  on  the  claims,  suggested 
the  farming  of  the  Inland  and  Foreign  Letter  Offices.  The 
question  was  put  to  the  House  of  Commons  that  the  whole 
business  be  "recommitted  to  the  Council  of  State  to  take  into 
consideration  and  present  their  opinions  to  the  Parliament  how 
the  same  may  be  managed  for  the  best  service  of  the  State 
and  ease  of  the  people."  The  addition  of  the  words  *'  by 
contract  or  otherwise"  was  suggested,  and  accepted  by  the 
House.=»  The  question  was  considered  by  a  Committee,  who, 
having  found  much  difficulty  in  dealing  with  the  numerous 
claims  in  respect  of  the  Foreign  and  Inland  Letter  Offices, 
decided  on  the  7th  November  1651,  probably  as  a  way  out 
of  the  difficulty,  to  recommend  that  the  offices  should  be 
let  to  farm.     The  matter  was  not  hurriedly  disposed  of.     On 

"■  H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post  Office,  London,  1893,  p.  25. 
'  Commons  Journal,  19th  October,  1652,  p.  192, 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  13 

the  7th  May  1653,^  resolutions  were  passed  by  the  House  of 
Commons  asserting  the  State  monopoly  of  the  carriage  of 
letters,  and  directing  the  Committee  appointed  to  consider 
the  posts  to  fix  rates  for  private  letters,  to  obtain  tenders 
from  persons  for  farming  the  carrying  of  letters,  and  to 
recommend  what  annual  sum  in  their  opinion  the  State  should 
require  in  case  it  were  thought  well  to  let  the  posts  to  farm. 

On  the  30th  June  1653  the  Inland  and  Foreign  Letter  Offices 
were  let  to  John  Manley  at  a  rent  of  £10,000  a  year,^  and 
thus  was  instituted  the  system  of  farming,  which  continued 
until  1677  as  regards  the  main  posts,  and  until  the  late 
eighteenth  century  as  regards  the  bye  posts.  The  rent  con- 
tinuously increased.  Shortly  after  the  Restoration  it  was 
raised  to  £21,500  a  year,  and  in  1667  to  £43,000  a  year. 

The  rate  for  a  single  letter,  which  had  been  raised  by 
Prideaux  to  6d.,  was  in  1655  or  1656  reduced  to  3d.,  owing 
to  the  efforts  and  competition  of  Clement  Oxenbridge  and 
others,  who  established  and  maintained  rival  services  for 
the  carriage  of  letters.  These  ^'  interlopers "  received  scant 
consideration  from  Prideaux,  and  the  services  which  they 
had  established  were  suppressed.3  In  1657  an  Ordinance  of 
the  Commonwealth  Parliament  further  reduced  the  rate  to  2d. 
for  a  single  letter  sent  for  distances  under  80  miles,  and  3d.  for 
distances  over  80  miles.     The  rates  were  not,  however,  as  low 

*  Register  of  Council  of  State,  7th  May  1653,  vol.  xvi.  pp.  34-6. 

'  Calendar  of  State  Pampers  [Domestic  Series),  1652-3,  p.  455. 

3  ".The  case  of  the  first  undertakers  for  reducing  letters  to  half  the  former 
rates,  viz.  Clem.  Oxenbridge,  Rich.  Blackwell,  Fra.  Thompson,  and  Wm. 
Malyn.  We  observed  that  the  postage  of  inland  letters  was  long  continued 
at  6d.  a  letter,  and  that  the  whole  benefit  went  into  one  hand,  to  the 
grievance  of  many.  Being  encouraged  by  the  votes  of  the  last  Parliament  (made 
in  the  time  of  their  primitive,  free,  and  public  actings,  viz.  16  August  1642)  that 
the  taking  of  letters  from  and  the  restraints  and  imprisonments  of  Gower, 
Chapman,  Cotton,  and  Mackedral  were  against  the  law  and  the  liberty  of  the 
subject  .  .  .  and  that  the  said  secretaries  and  Witherings  were  delinquents, 
being  also  encouraged  by  the  opinion  of  the  judges  given  in  the  House  of 
Lords,  that  the  clause  in  Witherings'  patent  for  restraint  of  carrying  letters 
was  void  and  against  law — we  attempted  to  put  the  same  in  practice,  but 
through  the  interest  of  Mr.  Prideaux,  who  for  many  years  had  enjoyed  excessive 
gains  by  the  former  high  rates,  we  met  with  all  the  obstruction  he  could  make 
against  us,  by  stopping  our  mails,  abusing  our  servants,  etc.,  though  he  always 
held  forth  that  it  was  free  for  any  to  carry  or  send  letters  as  they  pleased." — 
Calendar  of  Stale  Papers  {Domestic  Series),  1653/1654,  p.  22.  Cf.  John  Hill, 
A  Penny  Post,  London,  1669. 


14  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

as  would  appear  at  first  sight.  There  is  the  difference  in  the 
value  of  money  to  be  allowed  for;  and  there  is  the  further 
consideration  that  postage  was  not  charged  according  to  the 
direct  distance.  All  the  post  roads  converged  on  London, 
and  there  were  no  cross  posts.  All  letters  from  towns  on 
one  post  road  for  towns  on  another  post  road  must  therefore 
pass  through  London,  and  all  letters  passing  through  London 
were  subjected  to  an  additional  rate  of  postage ;  ^  that  is  to 
say,  they*were  charged  the  appropriate  rate  in  respect  of  the 
distance  to  London,  and  then,  in  addition,  the  appropriate 
rate  in  respect  of  the  distance  from  London  to  destination. 
The  Ordinance  of  1657  placed  the  Post  Office  system  for 
the  first  time  on  a  statutory  basis.^  The  objects  for  which 
such  an  Office  was  required  were  given  as  three  in  number : 
first,  to  maintain  certain  intercourse  of  trade  and  commerce ; 
secondly,  to  convey  public  despatches  ;  and  thirdly,  to  discover 
and  prevent  many  dangerous  and  wicked  designs  against  the 
peace  and  welfare  of  the  Commonwealth.  In  1660  an  Act 
of  Parliament  was  passed,  dealing  with  the  Post  Office. 3 
Essentially  it  was  the  Ordinance  of  1657,  passed  as  an  Act 
to  give  it  legal  validitj^  under  the  changed  order  of  things. 
The  clauses  relating  to  the  use  of  the  Post  Office  as  a 
means  of  detecting  plots  against  the  State  were  included  in 
a  modified  form,  and  this  function  was  by  no  means  lost  sight 
of.4  During  the  excitement  caused  by  the  Popish  Plot  it  was 
freely  exercised. 

»  "Orosa  p*sts  did  not  exist.  Between  two  towns  not  being  on  the  same 
post  road,  however  near  the  towns  might  be,  letters  could  circulate  only 
through  London ;  and  the  moment  London  was  reached  an  additional  rate  was 
imposed.  Hence  the  apparent  charges,  the  charges  as  deduced  from  the 
table  of  rates,  might  be  very  different  from  the  actual  charges.  Bristol  and 
Exeter,  for  instance,  are  less  than  80  miles  apart;  but  in  1660,  and  for 
nearly  forty  years  afterwards,  letters  from  one  to  the  other  passed  through 
London,  and  would  be  charged,  if  single,  not  2d.  but  6d.,  and  if  double,  not  4d. 
but  Is.  That  is  to  say,  the  postage  or  portage,  as  it  was  then  called,  would  consist 
of  two  rates,  and  each  of  these  rates  would  be  for  a  distance  in  excess  of  80  miles." 
— H.  Joyce,  History  of  tlw  Post  Office,  p.  29.     Cf.  infra,  Appendix  B,  pp.  390-1. 

This  practice  of  charging  according  to  the  route  traversed  and  not  according 
to  direct  distance  was  also  followed  in  other  countries.  It  is  perhaps  com- 
parable to  the  practice  of  computing  railway  charges  on  the  basis  of  the 
'  distance  by  railway,  and  not  as  the  crow  flies. 

»  H.  Scobell,  Collection  of  Acts  and  Ordinances^  London,  1658,  p.  511. 

3  12  Car.  II,  cap.  35. 

4  Bee,  e.g.,  Boyal  Proclamations,  16th  January  1660-1  and  16th  July  1667. 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  15 

The  general  farm  of  the  posts  was  abohshed  in  1677,  and 
the  administration  of  the  Office  undertaken  by  the  Govern- 
ment, except  in  the  case  of  the  smaller  branch  posts,  in 
regard  to  which  the  practice  of  farming  was  even  extended 
in  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth  century.^ 

The  revenue  yielded  by  the  Office  continued  to  expand.  In 
1694  it  had  reached  £60,000  ;  and  when,  for  various  reasons, 
but  chiefly  to  provide  for  the  control  of  the  Post  Office  in 
Scotland,  which  had  been  brought  under  the  English  authori- 
ties by  the  Act  of  Union,  a  new  Post  Office  Act  became 
necessary,  the  Ministers,  involved  in  a  protracted  war,  seized 
the  opportunity  to  obtain  an  increased  revenue  from  the  Office. 
Under  William  III  this  had  been  thought  of.^ 

The  Act  of  1711,3  which  remained  for  over  fifty  years  the 
principal  Act  relating  to  the  Post  Office,  was  to  be  an  instru- 
ment of  taxation.  For  some  fifty  years  the  Post  Office  had 
been  yielding  a  revenue,  constant  and  increasing,  but  never- 
theless more  or  less  fortuitous.  Its  functions  had  always  been 
defined  as  primarily  to  provide  for  the  transmission  of  letters, 
for  the  benefit  of  commerce,  and  for  the  safety  and  security 
of  the  kingdom,  by  bringing  all  letters  into  '*  one  Post  Office 
settled  and  established  in  this  Kingdom,"  and  conducted 
immediately  under  the  eye  of  the  King's  Government.  The 
amount  paid  for  the  farm  had  increased  with  the  passing 
of  the  years,  in  measure  with  the  increase  of  the  business 
of  the  Office — not  by  any  change  in  the  scale  of  charges, 
which  remained  as  fixed  in  1660.  Now,  however,  the  Office 
was  made  a  financial  instrument,  the  proceeds  of  which 
were  to  be  regulated  by  manipulation  of  the  rates  of  charge. 
The  results  of  the  Act  of  1711  did  not  fulfil  the  anticipations 
of  its  framers.  Provision  had  been  made  for  the  disposal 
of  that  increase  of  revenue  which  was  looked  f or :  **  the 
full,  clear,  and  entire  Weekly  Sum  of  Seven  Hundred 
Pounds  of  Lawful  Money  of  Great  Britain "  was  to  be 
paid    out    of    the    revenues    of    the    Post    Office    "  towards 

»  See  Appendix,  pp.  388-391. 

'  *•  As  early  as  William's  reign  they  (the  Postmasters-General)  had  been 
asked  to  estimate  how  much  an  additional  penny  of  postage  would  produce  ; 
.  .  .  the  necessities  of  the  Civil  List  had  prompted  the  inquiry." — H.  Joyce, 
History  of  the  Post  Office,  p.  119. 

3  9  Anne,  cap.  10. 


16  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

the  Establishment  of  a  good,  sure,  and  lasting  Fund,  in 
order  to  raise  a  present  Supply  of  Money  for  carrying 
on  the  War  and  other  her  Majesty's  most  necessary 
Occasions."^  This  d6700  was  to  be  paid  entirely  from  the 
proceeds  of  the  increase  in  the  rates.  The  existing  revenue 
of  ^111,461  a  year  was  to  be  disposed  of  as  theretofore.  All 
pensions  and  charges  on  the  revenue  were  to  continue,  and 
were  to  have  preference  over  the  payment  of  £700  a  week. 
Of  the  surplus  over  and  above  the  £111,461  a  year  and  the 
£700  a  week,  one-third  part  was  to  be  at  the  disposal  of 
Parliament,  the  rest  to  be  paid  into  the  Exchequer  with 
the  £111,461. 

But  the  increase  of  revenue  was  so  small  that  some  of  these 
provisions  remained  for  many  years  inoperative.  The  increase 
of  rate  was  found  burdensome.  Merchants  resorted  to  every 
available  means  of  avoiding  the  additional  expense.^  A  large 
clandestine  traffic  in  letters  grew  up.  The  very  postboys 
were  found  carrying  letters  outside  the  mail  for  what  fees 
they  could  obtain.  In  1710  the  net  revenue  had  been  £66,822. 
In  1721  it  was  £99,784,  an  increase  of  £32,962.  After  the 
deduction,  therefore,  of  the  £700  a  week  (or  £86,400  a 
year),  the  payment  of  which  had  preference  over  all  other 
payments  chargeable  on  the  Post  Office  revenue,  excepting 
only  the  expenses  of  management,  the  actual  net  revenue 
of  the  Post  Office  available  for  the  purposes  prescribed  by 
the  Act  was  in  1721,  £63,384,  or  less  than  the  revenue 
of  1710  by  £3,438.  The  Act  provided  that  one-third  of  the 
surplus  of  the  yield  of  postage  over  and  above  the  sum  of 
£147,861  (£111,461  plus  the  £700  a  week)  should  be  at  the 
disposal  of  Parliament  for  the  use  of  the  public  ;  but  although 
the  gross  revenue  had  exceeded  that  sum,  there  was  no 
surplus  for  the  use  of  the  public,  the  explanation  being 
that  the  sum  mentioned  in  the  Act,  viz.  £111,461,  was  the 
amount  of  gross  revenue,  which  could  only  serve  as  a  basis 
provided  the  cost  of  management  remained  stationary.     As  a 

'  9  Anne,  cap.  10,  §  35. 

*  ' '  The  additional  tax  has  never  answered  in  proportion  to  the  produce  of  the 
revenue  at  the  time  it  took  place,  the  people  having  found  private  conveyances 
for  their  letters,  which  they  are  daily  endeavouring  to  increase,  notwithstanding 
all  the  endeavours  that  can  be  used  to  prevent  them." — Statement  by  the 
Postmasters-General,  20th  May  1718  {British  Official  Becords). 


LETTER  POST  IN   ENGLAND  17 

matter  of  fact,  the  cost  so  greatly  increased  that  the  net 
revenue  was  not  sufficient  to  provide  the  sum  of  .£700  a  week 
and  also  a  revenue  equal  to  that  obtained  before  1711.  As 
Mr.  Joyce  has  pointed  out,  the  Treasury  had  confounded 
gross  and  net  revenue.^ 

The  essentially  fiscal  character  of  the  rates  of  1711  is 
evidenced  by  a  provision  of  the  Act  that  from  and  after  the 
1st  June  1743  the  rates  charged  under  the  previous  Acts 
were  to  be  restored.^  But  after  1743,  although  they  were 
without  legal  sanction,  the  rates  of  1711  continued  in  opera- 
tion, and  by  an  Act  of  1763  they  were  made  perpetual. 3 

The  fifty  years  following  the  Act  of  the  9th  of  Anne  were 
uneventful. 4  The  chief  development  was  in  connection  with 
the  cross  posts ;  a  development  which,  although  not  having 
direct  reference  to  the  question  of  the  rates  of  postage,  was 
yet  of  importance.  At  the  commencement  of  the  eighteenth 
century  the  main  system  of  the  Post  Ofiice  still  centred  on 
London.  All  the  main  post  routes  radiated  from  London, 
and  the  great  bulk  of  the  letters  passing  by  post  were  either 
for  or  from  London,  or  passed  through  London.  But  there 
were,  of  course,  numbers  of  letters  which  were  not  sent  to 
London  at  all :  letters  between  two  towns  on  a  post  road, 
or  letters  between  towns  on  different  post  roads,  which  could 
be  sent  direct  and  not  by  way  of  London.  These  letters 
were  known  as  bye  letters  and  cross  post  letters. 5  Since  they 
were  not  handled  in  London,  the  authorities  had  not  the  same 

»  H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post  Office,  p.  145. 

==  9  Anne,  cap.  10,  §  39.  33  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  75,  §  1. 

*  "An  important  legal  decision,  with  which  the  Post  Ofiice  had  only  the 
remotest  concern,  an  improved  system  of  expresses  following  as  a  natural 
consequence  from  circumstances  over  which  the  Post  Office  had  no  control,  a 
simple  contrivance  to  facilitate  the  posting  of  letters  (i.e.  the  aperture),  and 
an  acceleration  of  the  mail  between  London  and  Edinburgh — this  as  the  record 
of  forty  or  fifty  years'  progress  is  assuredly  meagre  enough ;  and  yet  we  are  not 
aware  of  any  omission.' — H.  Joyce,  ibid.,  p.  184. 

5  "  A  letter  between  Bath  and  London  would  be  a  London  letter,  and  a  letter 
from  one  part  of  the  country  to  another  which  in  course  of  transit  passed 
through  London  would  be  a  country  letter.  A  bye  or  way  letter  would  be  a 
letter  passing  between  any  two  towns  on  the  Bath  Road  and  stopping  short  of 
London — as,  for  instance,  between  Bath  and  Hungerford,  between  Hungerford 
and  Newbury,  between  Newbury  and  Heading,  and  so  on  ;  while  a  cross  post 
letter  would  be  a  letter  crossing  from  the  Bath  road  to  some  other — as,  for 
instance,  a  letter  between  Bath  and  Oxford."— Ibid.,  p.  147. 

3 


18  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

means  of  checking  their  numbers,  and  the  postmasters' 
accounts  of  postage  in  respect  of  them,  as  could  be  applied 
in  London,  and  grave  irregularities  arose.  The  revenue  was 
continually  defrauded  by  the  failure  of  the  postmasters  to  bring 
to  account  the  postage  on  such  letters.  No  record  was  made 
in  respect  of  many  of  them,  and  their  transmission  became 
so  notoriously  unsafe  that  illicit  means  of  conveyance  were 
constantly  resorted  to.  The  matter  w^as  already  so  serious 
that  a  special  clause  was  included  in  the  Act  of  the  9th  of 
Anne,  providing  that  for  the  suppression  of  the  abuse  any 
postmaster  found  guilty  of  embezzling  the  postage  of  bye 
or  way  letters  should  forfeit  £5  for  every  letter  and  £100 
for  every  week  during  which  he  continued  the  practice. ' 
Even  this  penal  clause  was  insufficient  to  check  the  abuse, 
as  owing  to  the  unsatisfactory  method  of  dealing  with  bye  and 
way  letters  there  was  small  risk  of  detection  in  fraud. 

In  1719  Kalph  Allen,  then  postmaster  of  Bath,  proposed  to 
the  Postmasters-General  that  the  management  of  the  bye  and 
cross  post  letters  should  be  leased  to  him  for  a  term  of  years, 
and  offered  a  rent  one  and  a  half  times  as  great  as  the  revenue 
from  the  letters  at  that  time.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and 
the  lease,  which  in  the  first  instance  was  for  seven  years, 
was  renewed  from  time  to  time.  Allen,  whose  discovery  was 
merely  that  of  a  method  of  check  on  the  receipts  of  the 
postmasters  from  the  bye  and  cross  letters,  was  able  to  pay 
the  rent  agreed  upon,  largely  to  suppress  the  illicit  trans- 
mission of  the  letters,  and  to  make  a  handsome  profit. ^    The 

»  9  Anne,  cap.  10,  §  18. 

»  "  To  give  a  slight  idea  of  the  nature  of  this  conveyance  :  TJie  Bye  and 
Way  Letters  were  thrown  promiscuously  together  into  one  large  Bag,  which 
was  to  be  opened  at  every  Stage  by  the  Deputy,  or  any  inferior  Servant  of 
the  House,  to  pick  out  of  the  whole  heap  what  might  belong  to  his  own  delivery, 
and  the  rest  put  back  again  into  this  large  Bag,  with  such  Bye  Letters  as  he 
should  have  to  send  to  distant  places  from  his  own  Stage.  But  what  was 
still  worse  than  all  this,  it  was  then  the  constant  practice  to  demand  and 
receive  the  postage  on  all  such  Letters  before  they  were  put  into  any  of  the 
Country  Post  Offices.  Hence  (from  the  general  temptation  of  destroying  these 
Letters  for  the  sake  of  the  Postage)  the  joynt  mischief  of  embezling  the  Revenue 
and  interrupting  and  obstructing  the  commerce,  fell  naturally  in,  to  support  and 
inflame  one  another.  Indeed,  they  were  then  risen  to  such  a  height,  and  conse- 
quently the  discredit  and  disrepute  of  this  conveyance  grown  so  notorious,  that 
many  Traders  and  others  in  divers  parts  of  the  Kingdom  had  recourse  to  various 
contrivances  of  private  and  clandestine  conveyance  for  their  speedier  and  safer 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  19 

chief  importance  of  Allen's  work  lies,  however,  not  so  much 
in  the  fact  of  his  rendering  the  bye  and  cross  post  letters 
subject  to  effective  check,  as  in  the  fact  that  in  order  to 
retain  his  lease  he,  on  each  occasion  of  renewal,  undertook  the 
provision  of  additional  facilities.  By  this  means  a  daily  post 
was  gradually  extended  to  almost  all  the  post  routes.^ 

correspondence ;  whereby  it  became  unavoidable  but  that  other  branches  of  the 
Post  Office  revenue  should  be  greatly  impair'd,  as  well  as  this.  .  .  . 

'•Now  whilst  the  Bye  and  Way  Letters  continued  to  be  conveyed  in  so  pre- 
carious and  unsafe  a  way,  as  is  shewn  above,  it  was  thought  hard  to  punish 
such  as  undertook  to  convey  them  in  a  speedier  and  safer  manner.  But  from 
a  Time  that  this  Branch  of  the  Revenue  was  put  under  a  just  regulation,  in 
consequence  of  the  contract  with  Mr.  Allen,  all  such  Persons  who  were  any 
way  concerned  in  this  illegal  collection  and  conveyance  of  Letters,  were  by 
proper  Officers  employed  by  him,  strictly  enquired  after,  and  when  detected, 
the  most  notorious  of  them  punished  as  a  terror  to  the  rest." — Ralph  Allen's 
Narrative,  2nd  December  1761  (Ralph  Allen's  Bye,  Way  arid  Cross  Road  Posts, 
London,  1897,  pp.  6  and  18). 

*  "Upon  the  next  renewal  of  his  Contract,  which  was  in  the  Year  1741,  the 
Postmasters-General,  after  largely  expressing,  as  usual,  their  sense  of  the 
integrity  of  his  conduct,  and  the  services  he  had  done  to  the  Public,  told 
him  they  judged  it  but  reasonable  to  expect  some  addition  to  his  rent  of 
£6,000  a  Year  for  the  Bye,  Way  and  Cross  Road  Letters,  altho'  he  should 
still  continue  to  support  and  increase  the  produce  of  the  Country  Letters  for 
the  Benefit  of  the  King.  To  which,  Mr.  Allen  answered,  that  their  expecta- 
tions of  additional  rent  appeared  very  reasonable  to  him,  and  which  he  should 
have  made  in  his  own  way  (a  way  he  was  going  to  open  to  them)  had  they 
not  themselves  proposed  it.  That  there  are  two  ways  of  giving  this  addi- 
tional Rent :  the  one  was  by  paying  a  further  some  of  money  yearly,  such 
as  he  could  afford  to  his  Majesty's  use  without  any  advance  to  public  commerce, 
the  other  was  by  paying  his  Majesty,  and  immediately  too,  a  much  larger  sum 
than  he  could  in  the  first  way  pretend  to  advance,  in  causing  a  considerable 
increase  of  the  produce  of  the  London  and  Country  Letters  by  means  of  extending 
and  quickening  the  correspondence  of  London  and  several  of  the  most  consider- 
able Trading  Towns  and  Cities  thro'out  the  Kingdom ;  a  project  that  would  be 
of  infinite  advantage  to  commerce.  Which  of  these  two  ways  the  Postmasters- 
General  would  think  fit  to  prefer,  he  left  to  themselves  to  consider  ;  who  on  duly 
weighing  all  circumstances,  did  not  in  the  least  hesitate  to  prefer  the  latter  method. 

"  Upon  which  Mr.  Allen  agreed  to  erect,  at  his  own  Expence,  one  every  day 
post  from  London  to  Bath,  Bristol,  and  Glocester  towards  the  West  ;  and 
from  London  to  Cambridge,  Lynn,  Norwich,  and  Yarmouth  towards  the  East ; 
and  to  all  intermediate  places  in  both  quarters  :  and  that  all  the  increase  of 
the  postage  of  Letters  thus  conveyed  between  London  and  the  several  places, 
East  and  West  of  it  above-mentioned,  should,  without  any  charge  or  deduc- 
tion, be  paid  in  directly  for  his  Majesty's  use,  as  well  as  all  the  increase  of 
the  Country  Letters  within  that  District,  that  is,  such  Letters  as  pass  between 
one  Country  Town  and  another  thro'  London, 

"All  this  was  accordingly  done  and  executed  conformable  to  the  terms  of 
the  Contract." — Ibid.,  pp.  25-6. 

Similar  extensions  were  made  at  the  renewals  of  the  lease  in  1748  and  1765. 


20  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

In  1765  the  inland  rates  for  short  distances  were  reduced, 
and  a  new  standard  of  charge  was  introduced.  Hitherto,  all 
charges  had  been  regulated  on  a  mileage  basis.  For  short 
distances  they  were  now  based  on  the  number  of  post 
stages.  For  one  post  stage  the  rate  was  made  Id.  for  a 
single  letter,  for  a  double  letter  2d.,  for  a  treble  letter  3d., 
and  for  every  ounce  4d.  ;  for  two  post  stages,  2d.,  and  in 
proportion  for  double,  treble,  and  ounce  letters.^  The  finan- 
cial result  of  the  change  was  unsatisfactory.^ 

Up  to  this  period  the  mails  were  carried  by  postboys 
riding  horse.  Notwithstanding  that  on  all  the  chief  roads 
stage-coaches  were  running  more  expeditiously  than  the 
post-horses,  the  Post  Office  kept  to  the  old  way.  The 
superiority  of  the  stage-coaches  as  means  for  the  conveyance 
of  letters  was  noticed  by  Mr.  John  Palmer,  proprietor  of  the 
theatre  of  Bath, 3  who  was  so  greatly  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  he  devised  a  complete  and  definite  plan  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  system  of  mail  conveyance  by  coach.  The  cost 
of  the  riding  post  (boy  and  horse)  was  3d.  a  mile,  and  Palmer 
estimated  that  the  change  could  be  carried  out  without 
involving  any  increase  of  cost,  especially  if,  as  he  proposed, 
the  coaches  carrying  the  mails  should  be  exempted  from  toll. 
The  proposal  was  severely  criticized  by  the  district  surveyors 
of  the  Post  Office,  who  reported  on   it.4     At  the   Treasury, 

*  5  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25,  §  5. 

'  "It  is  certain  that  the  alteration  of  the  rates  of  Postage  in  the  year  1765 
has  not  been  attended  with  every  good  consequence  then  expected  from  it 
and  has  been  some  loss  to  the  Revenue." — Mr.  Draper,  District  Surveyor, 
British  Official  Records,  1783. 

3  '*  At  a  time  when  the  mail  leaving  London  on  Monday  night  did  not  arrive 
at  Bath  until  Wednesday  afternoon,  he  (Palmer)  had  been  in  the  habit  of  accom- 
plishing the  distance  between  the  two  cities  in  a  single  day.  He  had  made 
journeys  equally  long  and  equally  rapid  in  other  directions ;  and,  as  the  result 
of  observation,  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  of  the  horses  kept  at  the 
post  houses  it  was  always  the  worst  that  were  set  aside  to  carry  the  mail,  and 
that  the  post  was  the  slowest  mode  of  conveyance  in  the  kingdom.  He  had 
also  observed  that,  where  security  or  despatch  was  required,  his  neighbours  at 
Bath  who  might  desire  to  correspond  with  London  would  make  a  letter  up  into 
a  parcel  and  send  it  by  stage-coach,  although  the  cost  by  stage-coach  was, 
porterage  included,  2s.  and  by  post  4d." — H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post  Office, 
pp.  208-9,     Of.  D.  Macpherson,  op.  cit.,  vol.  iv.  p.  54. 

4  "  If  the  present  hours  fixed  at  all  the  offices  of  the  Kingdom  with  the  greatest 
care  and  attention  to  that  regular  plan  of  correspondence  which  has  been 
established  after  long  experience  were  to  be  altered  it  would  throw  into  the 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  21 

however,  the  proposal  met  with  a  more  favourable  reception. 
Pitt  called  a  conference  on  the  21st  June  1784,  and  after 
hearing  the  explanations  of  Palmer  and  the  criticisms 
of  the  representatives  of  the  Post  Office,  decided  that  the 
plan  should  be  given  a  trial.  Accordingly,  on  the  2nd 
August  1784  the  first  mail-coach  ran.  The  experiment, 
which  was  conducted  on  the  Bath  Koad,  proved  successful, 
and  the  plan  was  rapidly  extended  throughout  the  kingdom. 
The  first  coach  cost  8d.  a  mile,  the  same  rate  as  the  riding 
post ;  but  ultimately  the  coaches  proved  to  be  cheaper  than 
the  horse  posts.  In  1797  the  rate  was  no  more  than  a 
penny  a  mile.^ 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  introduction  of  mail- 
coaches  there  was  an  increase  in  the  rates  of  postage,  made 
solely  with  a  view  to  increased  revenue.^  The  alteration  was 
more  or  less  fortuitous.  In  his  Budget  of  1784  Pitt  had 
proposed  a  tax  on  coals  which  had  not  been  well  received, 
and  the  increased  postage  was  substituted.  Palmer  is  said 
to  have  claimed  the  credit  of  suggesting  the  substitution. 3 
If  so,  his  faith  in  his  plan  was  abundantly  justified.  Not- 
withstanding   the    handicap  of    increased    rates,   it    was   an 

greatest  confusion  for  the  present  and  would  be  many  years  before  it  could  be 
restored  to  the  degree  of  perfection  it  now  has." — Observations  on  Mr.  Palmer's 
Plan  by  Mr.  Draper,  District  Surveyor  {British  Official  Records,  1783). 

"Indeed,  it  is  a  pity  that  the  Author  of  the  Plan  should  not  first  have  been 
informed  of  the  nature  of  the  Business  in  question,  to  make  him  understand 
how  very  differently  the  Posts  and  Post  Offices  are  conducted  to  what  ho  ap- 
prehends, and  that  the  constant  Eye  that  has  been  long  kept  towards  their 
improvement  in  all  Situations  and  under  all  Circumstances  has  made  them 
now  almost  as  perfect  as  can  be  without  exhausting  the  Revenue  arising 
therefrom."— Observations  on  Mr.  Palmer's  Plan  by  Mr.  Hodgson,  District 
Surveyor.     Ibid. 

•'  Upon  the  whole  it  appears  impracticable  upon  a  general  System  to  convey 
the  Mails  by  Machine." — Observations  on  Mr.  Palmer's  Plan  by  Mr.  Allen, 
District  Surveyor.     Ibid. 

'  **  In  1797  there  were  forty-two  mail-coach  routes  established,  connecting 
sixty  of  the  most  important  towns  in  the  kingdom,  as  well  as  intermediate 
places.  These  coaches  cost  the  Government  £12,416  a  year,  only  half  the  sum 
paid  for  post-horses  and  riders  under  the  old  system.  The  coaches  made  daily 
journeys  over  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  total  distance  traversed  and  tri-weekly 
journeys  over  something  less  than  one-third  the  total  distance.  The  remainder 
travelled  one,  two,  four,  and  six  times  a  week." — J.  C.  Hemmeon,  History  of  the 
British  Post  Office,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1912,  p.  40. 

=  24  Geo.  Ill,  sess.  2,  cap.  37. 

3  H.  Joyce,  History  of  tlie  Post  Office,  p.  215. 


22  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

unqualified  success,  and  the  effect  on  the  revenue  was 
immediate  and  considerable. 

At  about  this  time  several  horse  and  cross  post  mails  had 
been  molested,  and  it  was  desired,  in  response  to  a  con- 
siderable public  agitation,  to  establish  mail-coaches  on  the 
minor  posts.  This  would  have  involved  heavy  cost,  and  as 
an  alternative  Freeling  (Secretary  to  the  Post  Office,  after- 
wards Sir  Francis)  suggested  that  only  responsible  persons 
should  be  employed — at  this  time  the  post  riders,  in  fact  as 
well  as  name,  were  in  many  instances  mere  boys — and  that 
the  riders  should  be  armed.  In  order  to  obtain  funds  to 
meet  the  cost  of  this  scheme,  the  rates  of  postage  were  again 
increased  in  1797.^  A  further  increase  was  made  in  1801  in 
order  to  provide  an  additional  contribution  of  ^150,000  a  year 
to  the  Exchequer.^  The  new  rates  were  elaborate  and  com- 
plicated, comprising  no  less  than  thirteen  rates  for  each  class 
of  letter,  according  to  the  distance  of  transmission.  Another 
increase  followed  in  1805,  when  the  Post  Office  was  called 
upon  to  provide  an  additional  d6230,000  a  year.3  This  time 
the  increase  was  made  in  a  very  simple  manner,  viz.  by 
increasing  the  rates  of  1801  in  every  case  by  Id.  for  a  single 
letter,  2d.  for  a  double  letter,  3d.  for  a  treble  letter,  and 
4d.  per  ounce. 

All  these  increases,  made  with  the  avowed  intention  of 
increasing  revenue,  were  successful  in  their  main  object. 
The  net  revenue,  which  in  1796  was  i'466,457,  had  risen  in 
1804  to  £956,212,  and  in  1806  reached  the  sum  of  £1,119,429. 
The  fiscal  results  seemed,  therefore,  to  justify  the  Government 
in  turning  again  and  again  to  the  Post  Office  when  they 
were  hard  pushed  to  find  revenue.  This  must  be  the  justi- 
fication of  the  further  increase  of  1812.4  The  rates  then 
established  were  the  highest  ever  charged  in  England.  The 
net  revenue  rose  slightly  after  their  establishment,  but  never 
increased  materially.  These  rates  continued  in  operation  until 
1839,  when  they  were  completely  swept  away,  and  new  rates 
based  on  principles  fundamentally  different  were  established. 

»  H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post  Office,  pp.  317-18. 
«  41  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  7.  3  45  Geo.  IH,  cap.  11. 

*  62  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  88.    For  details  of  the  changes  in  the  rates  during  this  period 
see  Appendix,  pp.  338-9. 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  23 

This  was  the  system,  due  to  Sir  Bowl  and  Hill,  of  uniform 
rates,  irrespective  of  distance  of  transmission,  first  intro- 
duced in  the  United  Kingdom  in  1839,  and  since  adopted 
throughout  the  civilized  vi^orld,  not  only  for  inland  services, 
but  for  the  international  service.^  The  story  of  the  concep- 
tion, advocacy,  and  adoption  of  uniform  postage  is  fully  told 
by  Sir  Kowland  Hill  in  his  History  of  Penny  Fostage,"^  and 
need  be  only  briefly  dealt  with  here.  The  plan  itself  is 
described  in  the  famous  pamphlet,  Post  Office  Beform :  Its 
hnportance  and  Practicability ^  which  was  issued  by  Sir 
Eowland  Hill  in  1837. 

The  reform  was  directly  related  to  the  great  reform  move- 
ment in  England  of  the  second  quarter  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  and  is  a  brilliant  example  of  the  application  of  the 
deductive  method  in  politics.  Sir  Kowland  Hill  was  a  member 
of  a  Kadical  family,  remarkable  even  in  those  days  for  its 
zeal  for  reform.  It  was  the  ambition  of  all  members  of  the 
family  to  aid  as  far  as  possible  the  great  movement;  and 
all  the  brothers  interested  themselves  in  the  study  of  social 
and  economic  questions,  with  a  view  to  reform  and  improve - 
ment.3  In  the  year  1835  there  was  a  large  surplus  of  revenue, 
and  the  brothers  speculated  on  the  direction  in  which  reduction 
of  taxation  might  best  be  made.4     Sir  Eowland  Hill  examined 

'  ••  Von  epochemachender  Bedeutung  war  die  beriihmte  von  Rowland  Hill 
angeregte  Portorcform  bei  Briefen  (sogenanntes  Pennyporto)  in  Gbossbritan- 
NiEN  1839." — A.  Wagner,  Finanzwissenschaft,  Leipzig,  1890,  vol,  ii.  p.  152. 

"  Sir  Rowland  Hill  and  G.  Birkbeck  Hill,  Life  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill  and 
History  of  Penny  Postage,  London,  1880. 

3  "They  were  all  full  of  high  aims— all  bent  on  'the  accomplishment  of 
things  permanently  great  and  good.'  There  was  no  room  in  their  minds  for 
the  petty  thoughts  of  jealous  spirits.  Each  had  that  breadth  of  view  which 
enables  a  man  to  rise  above  all  selfish  considerations.  Each  had  been  brought 
up  to  consider  the  good  of  his  family  rather  than  his  own  peculiar  good,  and  to 
look  upon  the  good  of  mankind  as  still  higher  than  the  good  of  his  family. 
Each  was  deeply  convinced  of  the  great  truth  which  Priestly  had  discovered, 
and  Bentham  had  advocated — that  the  object  of  all  government,  and  of  all 
social  institutions,  should  be  the  greatest  happiness  of  the  greatest  number 
for  the  greatest  length  of  time.  In  their  youth  their  aims  were  often  visionary ; 
but  they  were  always  high  and  noble." — Ibid.,  vol.  i.  p.  193. 

*  "Early  in  the  'thirties  there  had  been  some  reduction  in  certain  depart- 
ments of  taxation.  It  occurred  to  me  that  probably  some  ease  might  be  given 
to  the  people  by  lowering  the  postal  rate.  .  .  .  Although  occupied  with  other 
affairs,  the  reduction  in  the  postal  rate  was  not  dismissed  from  my  thoughts. 
The  interest  it  had  excited  induced  me  to  read  Reports,  etc.,  on  postal  adminis- 
tration."—Ibid.,  vol.  i.  p.  242. 


24  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

carefully  the  results  of  the  financial  reforms  which  had  been 
introduced  in  recent  years,  and  found  that  the  effect  on  the 
revenue  of  reductions  in  the  rate  of  tax  showed  very  con- 
siderable variations.  While  in  some  cases,  as,  for  example, 
leather  and  soap,  a  reduction  of  the  duty  by  one-half  had 
reduced  the  revenue  by  one-third,  a  similar  reducticai  of  the 
duty  on  coffee  had  increased  the  revenue  by  one-half.  From 
this  Sir  Kowland  Hill  concluded  that  it  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  select  carefully  the  taxes  to  be  reduced,  and 
he  cast  about  for  some  guiding  principle  in  the  light  of  which 
the  most  suitable  tax  for  reduction  might  be  discovered. 
This  principle  he  deduced  to  be  as  follows,  viz.  that  the 
tax  which  most  called  for  reduction  was  that  which  had 
failed  most  to  keep  pace  with  the  increasing  numbers  and 
prosperity  of  the  nation. ^  Tested  in  this  way,  the  tax  on 
letters  proved  unsatisfactory.  While  in  most  other  departments 
of  the  revenue  the  preceding  twenty  years  had  been  years 
of  expansion  and  progress — as  might  be  anticipated  during  a 
period  of  peace  following  great  and  exhausting  wars — in  the 
case  of  the  Post  Office  the  period  had  been  one  of  stagnation. 

Attention  had  already  been  directed  to  this  fact  by  Sir 
Henry  Parnell.^  Between  the  years  1815  and  1835  the 
duty  on  stage-coaches  had  increased  from  ^£218, 000  to  nearly 
^500,000  a  year.  During  the  same  period  the  revenue  of 
the  Post  Office,  both  gross  and  net,  had  not  increased  at 
all — in  point  of  fact,  it  had  slightly  decreased.  If  it  had 
kept  pace  with  the  increase  of  population,  the  annual  net 
revenue  would  have  increased  by  half  a  million.      If  it  had 

^  "The  best  test  to  apply  to  the  several  existing  taxes  for  the  discovery  of 
the  one  which  may  be  reduced  most  extensively,  with  the  least  proportionate 
loss  to  the  revenue,  is  probably  this :  excluding  from  the  examination  those 
taxes,  the  produce  of  which  is  greatly  affected  by  changes  in  the  habits  of 
the  people,  as  the  taxes  on  spirits,  tobacco,  hair-powder,  let  each  be  examined 
as  to  whether  its  productiveness  has  kept  pace  with  the  increasing  numbers 
and  prosperity  of  the  nation.  And  that  tax  which  proves  most  defective  under 
this  test  is,  in  all  probability,  the  one  we  are  in  quest  of." — Rowland  Hill,  Post 
Office  Reform  :  Its  Importance  and  Practicability,  London,  1837,  p.  2. 

2  "The  revenue  of  the  Post  Office  has  been  stationary  at  about  £1,400,000 
a  year  since  1818.  This  can  be  accounted  for  only  by  the  great  duty  charged 
on  letters  ;  for  with  a  lower  duty  the  correspondence  of  the  country  through 
the  Post  Office  would  have  increased  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  popula- 
tion and  national  wealth." — Sir  Henry  Parnell,  On  Financial  Reform^  London, 
1832,  p.  41. 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  25 

increased  in  the  same  proportion  as  the  duty  on  stage- 
coaches, the  revenue  of  1835  would  have  exceeded  that 
of  1815  by  no  less  than  i^2,000,000.  These  facts  convinced 
Sir  Kowland  Hill  that  a  reduction  of  the  rates  of  postage 
was  urgently  necessary ;  and  apart  from  financial  considera- 
tions, the  moral  and  intellectual  results  which  would  follow 
a  facilitation  of  intercourse  appealed  powerfully  to  a  reforming 
Badical.^  Having  arrived  at  the  conviction  that  the  Post  Office 
offered  most  scope  for  his  zeal,  he  found  no  lack  of  material 
to  work  upon.  A  Commission  of  Inquiry  into  the  Revenue 
Departments  had  reported  on  the  Post  Office  in  1829.  A 
Commission  of  Inquiry  on  the  Post  Office  had  been  sitting 
for  some  years,  and  had  made  numerous  voluminous  reports. 
Sir  Rowland  Hill  set  to  work  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the 
information  contained  in  these  reports,  and  as  the  result  of 
this  study  evolved  a  complete  plan  for  the  reform  and  re- 
organization of  the  whole  Post  Office  system,  a  plan  involving 
the  transformation  both  of  the  theory  of  Post  Office  finance, 
and  of  the  methods  of  practical  working.^ 

His  inquiries  led  him  to  examine  the  cost  of  the  Post  Office 
service  as  a  whole,  and  its  relation  to  the  work  performed  by  the 
Post  Office  in  respect  of  individual  letters,  or,  as  he  termed  it, 
"  the  natural  cost  of  conveying  a  letter."  3     The  investigations 

'  "  While  thus  confirmed  in  my  belief  that,  even  from  a  financial  point  of 
view,  the  postal  rates  were  injuriously  high,  I  also  became  more  and  more 
convinced,  the  more  I  considered  the  question,  that  the  fiscal  loss  was  not 
the  most  serious  injury  thus  inflicted  on  the  public  ;  that  yet  more  serious 
evil  resulted  from  the  obstruction  thus  raised  to  the  moral  and  intellectual 
progress  of  the  people ;  and  that  the  Post  Office,  if  put  on  a  sound  footing, 
would  assume  the  new  and  important  character  of  a  powerful  engine  of 
civilization ;  that  though  now  rendered  feeble  and  inefficient  by  erroneous 
financial  arrangements,  it  was  capable  of  performing  a  distinguished  part  in 
the  great  work  of  national  education." — Sir  Rowland  Hill  in  Life  of  Sir  Rowland 
Hill  and  History  of  Penny  Postage,  London,  1880,  vol.  i.  p.  245. 

=  Post  Office  Reform :  Its  Importance  and  Pnicticability,  by  Rowland  Hill, 
London,  1837. 

^  "  In  order  to  ascertain,  with  as  much  accuracy  as  the  circumstances  of  the 
case  admit,  the  extent  to  which  the  rates  of  postage  may  be  reduced,  under  the 
condition  of  a  given  reduction  in  the  revenue,  the  best  course  appears  to  be, 
first  to  determine  as  nearly  as  possible  the  natural  cost  of  conveying  a  letter 
under  the  varying  circumstances  of  distance,  etc.,  that  is  to  say,  the  cost  which 
would  be  incurred  if  the  Post  Office  were  conducted  on  the  ordinary  commercial 
principles,  and  postage  relieved  entirely  from  taxation ;  and  then  to  add  to  the 
natural  cost  such  amount  of  duty  as  may  be  necessary  for  producing  the 
required  revenue." — Ibid,  p,  10. 


26  RATES  OF  POSTAGE! 

and  calculations  made  in  this  connection  elucidated  a  fact  of 
first  importance,  viz.  that  the  cost  of  the  conveyance  of  a 
letter  from  one  town  to  another  was  exceedingly  small,  being 
on  the  average  no  more  than  nine-hundredths  of  a  penny — in 
the  case  of  a  mail  from  London  to  Edinburgh  the  cost  of 
conveyance  was  no  more  than  one-thirty-sixth  of  a  penny. 
This  fact  was  developed.  It  was  shown  that  not  only  was 
the  cost  for  conveyance  for  the  average  of  distance  exceedingly 
small,  but  that  it  did  not  vary  with  the  distance.  The  varia- 
tion was  rather  in  the  inverse  proportion  to  the  number  of 
letters  enclosed  in  a  mail.^  Thus,  while  the  average  cost  of 
the  conveyance  of  a  letter  from  London  to  Edinburgh  was  one- 
thirty-sixth  of  a  penny,  the  cost  of  the  conveyance  of  a  letter 
for  a  shorter  distance  was  often  greater,  owing  to  the  small 
number  of  letters  included  in  the  mail.  On  these  facts  rests 
the  whole  case  for  uniformity  of  rate  irrespective  of  distance  :  ^ 

*  ••  I  found,  first,  that  the  cost  of  conveying  a  letter  between  post  town  and 
post  town  was  exceedingly  small;  secondly,  that  it  had  but  little  relation  to 
distance ;  and  thirdly,  that  it  depended  much  upon  the  number  of  letters 
conveyed  by  the  particular  mail  ;  and  as  the  cost  per  letter  would  diminish  with 
every  increase  in  such  number,  and  as  such  increase  would  certainly  follow 
reduction  of  postage,  it  followed  that,  if  a  great  reduction  could  be  effected,  the 
cost  of  conveyance  per  letter,  already  so  small,  might  be  deemed  absolutely 
insignificant. 

•'  Hence,  then,  I  came  to  the  important  conclusion  that  the  existing 
practice  of  regulating  the  amount  of  postage  by  the  distance  over  which  an 
inland  letter  was  conveyed,  however  plausible  in  appearance,  had  no  foundation  in 
principle,  and  that  consequently  the  rates  of  postage  should  be  irrespective  of 
distance." — Sir  Rowland  Hill,  Life  of  Sir  Roivland  Hill  and  History  of  Penny 
Postage,  London,  1880,  vol.  i.  p.  250. 

*  "  It  appears,  then,  that  the  cost  of  mere  transit  incurred  upon  a  letter  sent 
from  London  to  Edinburgh,  a  distance  of  400  miles,  is  not  more  than  one  thirty- 
sixth  part  of  a  penny.  If  therefore  the  proper  charge  (exclusive  of  tax)  upon  a 
letter  received  and  delivered  in  London  itself  were  twopence,  then  the  proper 
charge  (exclusive  of  tax)  upon  a  letter  received  in  London,  but  delivered  in 
Edinburgh,  would  be  twopence  plus  one-thirty-sixth  part  of  a  penny.  Now,  as 
the  letters  taken  from  London  to  Edinburgh  are  undoubtedly  carried  much  more 
than  an  average  distance,  it  follows,  that  when  the  charge  for  the  receipt 
and  delivery  of  the  letter  is  determined,  an  additional  charge  of  one-thirty-sixth 
part  of  a  penny  would  amply  repay  the  expense  of  transit.  If,  therefore,  tlie 
charge  for  postage  he  made  proportionate  to  the  wJiole  expense  incurred  in 
the  receipt,  transit,  and  delivery  of  the  letter,  and  in  the  collection  of  its 
postage,  it  must  be  made  uniformly  the  same  from  every  post  town  to  every 
other  post  town  in  the  United  Kingdom,  unless  it  can  be  shown  how  we 
are  to  collect  so  small  a  sum  as  the  thirty-sixth  part  of  a  penny." — Rowland 
Hill,  Post  Office  Reform:  Its  Importance  and  Practicability,  London,  1837, 
pp.  18-19. 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  27 

and  they  are  sufficient  to  demonstrate  that  the  principle  is 
fundamentally  sound. 

The  proposal  for  a  uniform  rate  was  the  outstanding  feature 
of  the  plan,  but  there  were  others  of  importance.  It  was  a 
chief  merit  that  the  plan  might  be  introduced  without  causing 
any  serious  diminution  of  net  revenue,  and  the  object  of  the 
further  proposals  was  so  to  modify  and  simplify  the  working 
methods  of  the  service  as  to  enable  the  increased  traffic  which 
a  low  uniform  rate  would  inevitably  bring  into  the  post  to  be 
dealt  with  without  a  proportionate  increase  in  working  expenses. 

A  vast  increase  in  the  number  of  letters  must  occur  if  the 
revenue  was  to  be  maintained,  and  this  increase  was  con- 
fidently anticipated.  With  the  existing  rates  there  was  a 
very  large  clandestine  traffic  in  letters  outside  the  Post  Office, 
and  it  was  calculated  that  a  low  uniform  rate  would  effect 
the  complete  suppression  of  that  traffic,  and  attract  all  letters 
into  the  post.  But  in  order  to  maintain  the  net  revenue, 
it  was  essential  to  simplify  effectively  the  methods  of  working. 
This  simplification  was  to  be  secured  by  the  introduction  of 
the  system  of  prepayment,  and  the  principle  of  charging  by 
weight. 

Covers  and  sheets  of  paper  bearing  the  revenue  stamp  already 
impressed  were  to  be  sold  at  all  post  offices.  The  postage 
label,  which  has  become  so  characteristic  a  feature  of  post 
office  business  throughout  the  civilized  world,  was  proposed 
as  an  expedient  to  meet  a  certain  exceptional  case.  If  any 
person  bringing  a  letter  to  the  post  should  not  be  able  to 
write  the  address  on  the  stamped  cover  in  which  the  letter 
was  to  be  enclosed.  Sir  Rowland  Hill  suggested  that  "this 
difficulty  might  be  obviated  by  using  a  bit  of  paper  just  large 
enough  to  bear  the  stamp,  and  covered  at  the  back  with  a 
glutinous  wash,  which  the  bringer  might,  by  applying  a  little 
moisture,  attach  to  the  back  of  the  letter,  so  as  to  avoid  the 
necessity  for  redirecting  it."  ^ 

Letters  prepaid  in  either  of  these  ways  were  to  pass  through 
the  post  as  franks,^  i.e.  without  charge  or  record.  By  this 
method   a   great   reduction   in  the  work  of   the   Post   Office 

'  Ibid.,  p.  45. 

'  A  "  frank  "  was  a  letter  or  packet  bearing  on  the  outside  the  signature  of  a 
person  entitled  to  send  letters  free  of  postage. 


28  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

would  be  effected.  Under  the  existing  system  it  was  neces- 
sary to  record  and  charge  forward  on  the  postmasters  all 
letters  the  postage  of  which  was  to  be  collected  on  delivery, 
and  these  letters  formed  the  vast  majority.  All  such  labour 
would  be  dispensed  with.  The  increase  of  the  number  of 
letters  was  to  be  further  encouraged  by  the  provision  of 
additional  facilities,  such  as  the  establishment  of  day  mails 
and  increased  frequency  of  deliveries  in  towns. ' 

It  has  sometimes  been  thought  that  Sir  Eowland  Hill's 
theory  included  the  proposition  that  the  increase  of  the 
number  of  letters  varied  in  inverse  proportion  to  the  reduc- 
tion of  rate  effected,  that  is  to  say,  that  if  the  rate  were 
reduced  by  one-half,  the  number  of  letters  posted  would  be 
doubled;  if  the  rate  were  reduced  by  two-thirds,  the  number 
of  letters  posted  would  increase  threefold.^  This  is  not  the 
case.  His  estimate  was  that  with  the  reduction  of  postage 
in  the  United  Kingdom  to  the  uniform  rate  of  one  penny, 
i.e.  an  average  reduction  of  seven-eighths  (from  about  eight- 
pence),  an  immediate  fourfold  increase  in  the  number  of  letters 
might  be  anticipated.  This  estimate  was  framed  with  regard 
to  the  circumstances  existing  in  the  United  Kingdom  at  the 
time,  and  there  is  no  other  rule  applicable  to  the  relation 
between  reduction  of  postage  and  resultant  increase  of  postal 
traffic  than  that  it  is  relative  to  the  particular  circumstances 
of  time  and  place.  Especially,  it  may  be  said,  where  postage 
is  already  low,  further  reduction  is  hardly  likely  to  result  in 
largely  increased  traffic. 

In  brief.  Sir  Eowland  Hill  calculated  that  by  the  adoption  of 
his  proposals  for  the  modification  of  methods  of  working,  the 

^  These  proposals  are  not,  however,  necessarily  related  to  the  principle  of 
uniformity,  and,  although  interesting  and  important  at  the  time,  are  now  only 
of  historical  interest.  They  relate  more  particularly  to  the  practicability  of 
applying  low  and  uniform  rates  to  the  postal  service  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
having  regard  to  the  circumstances  then  obtaining  and  to  the  necessity  for 
maintaining  a  large  net  revenue.  Given  that  uniformity  of  rate  was  scientifi- 
cally sound,  it  did  not  follow  that  it  should  be  immediately  adopted,  and  the 
financial  effect  was,  to  say  the  least,  speculative.  But  since  it  was  unlikely 
that  the  plan  would  be  adopted  if  any  large  decrease  in  revenue  were  likely  to 
result,  Sir  Rowland  Hill  was  at  great  pains  to  explain  methods  by  which  his 
plan  could  be  adopted  without  serious  reduction  of  net  revenue,  and  it  was  in 
this  connection  that  the  question  of  the  increase  in  traffic  which  might  be 
anticipated  assumed  such  importance. 

=  See,  e.g.,  H.  von  Stephan,  Oeschichte  der preussiscJieii  Post,  Berlin,  1859,  p.  615. 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  29 

letter  postage  in  the  United  Kingdom  might  be  reduced  to  the 
uniform  rate  of  one  penny  irrespective  of  distance,  without 
causing  loss  to  the  net  revenue  of  more  than  £'300,000  a  year. 

The  pamphlet,  Post  Office  Beform :  Its  Importance  and  Prac- 
ticability, in  which  the  plan  was  embodied,  was  first  issued 
privately  in  January  1837  for  circulation  in  political  and  official 
circles,  to  which  Sir  Kowland  Hill  had  access,  partly  through 
the  celebrity  of  his  family  on  account  of  their  school  system, 
but  chiefly  through  his  brother  Matthew  Davenport  Hill,  then  a 
member  of  Parliament.  In  February  1837  the  author  was  invited 
to  give  evidence  before  the  Commissioners  for  Post  Office  In- 
quiry.^ The  proposals  were  not,  however,  viewed  favourably  by 
the  Government,  and  were  resolutely  opposed  by  the  Postmaster- 
General  and  many  of  the  high  authorities  of  the  Post  Office. ^ 

Finding  it  impossible  to  impress  the  official  mind,  Sir 
Kowland  Hill  issued  the  pamphlet  to  the  public,3  and  it  met 
with  immediate,  widespread,  and  influential  support.  The 
Press,  Chambers  of  Commerce,  and  other  bodies  actively  sup- 
ported propaganda  for  the  adoption  of  the  scheme.4  Public 
meetings  in  support  of  it  were  held  in  all  parts  of  the  country, 
and  numerous  petitions  in  its  favour  were  submitted  to 
Parliament.  So  strong  was  the  public  feeling  that  in  November 
1837  the  Government  were  constrained  to  appoint  a  Select 
Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  for  the  express  purpose 

*  Ninth  Report  of  Commissioners  for  Inquiring  into  the  Mode  of  Conducting 
the  Business  of  tJw  Post  Office  Department,  1837,  Appendix,  pp.  26-40. 

'  "  Of  all  the  wild  and  visionary  schemes  he  had  ever  heard  or  read  of,  it  was 
the  most  extraordinary." — Lord  Lichfield,  Postmaster-General,  15  June  1837, 
Pari.  Debates  {Lords),  vol.  xxxviii,  col.  1464. 

"  He  considers  the  whole  scheme  of  Mr.  Hill  as  utterly  fallacious  ;  he  thought 
so  from  the  first  moment  he  read  the  pamphlet  of  Mr.  Hill ;  and  his  opinion  of 
the  plan  was  formed  long  before  the  evidence  was  given  before  the  Committee. 
The  plan  appears  to  him  a  most  preposterous  one,  utterly  unsupported  by  facts, 
and  resting  entirely  on  assumption.  Every  experiment  in  the  way  of  reduction 
which  has  been  made  by  the  Post  Office  has  shown  its  fallacy ;  for  every 
reduction  whatever  loads  to  a  loss  of  revenue,  in  the  first  instance :  if  the 
reduction  be  small,  the  revenue  recovers  itself ;  but  if  the  rates  were  to  be 
reduced  to  a  penny,  revenue  would  not  recover  itself  for  forty  or  fifty  years." — 
Abstract  of  Evidence  of  Colonel  Maberly,  Secretary  to  the  Post  Office,  Third 
Report  from  tlie  Select  Co^nmittee  on  Postage,  1838,  p.  18. 

3  Post  Office  Reform:  Its  Importance  and  Practicability,  by  Rowland  Hill, 
second  edition,  London,  1837. 

■•  See  Life  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill  and  History  of  Penny  Postage,  London,  1880 ; 
Sir  Henry  Cpje,  Fifty  Years  of  Public  Work,  London,  1884. 


30  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

of  considering  Sir  Rowland  Hill's  proposals.  This  Committee 
took  a  vast  amount  of  evidence.  The  contentions  of  Sir 
Rowland  Hill  were  in  the  main  sustained  by  this  evidence,  and 
the  Committee  recommended  (but  only  by  the  casting  vote  of 
its  chairman)  the  adoption  of  a  uniform  rate.  They  were  not, 
however,  satisfied  that  the  net  revenue  would  be  maintained 
if  the  uniform  rate  were  made  as  low  as  one  penny,  and  they 
therefore  recommended  the  rate  of  twopence.^  The  Com- 
mittee reported  in  August,  1838,  but  no  immediate  steps  were 
taken  by  the  Government  to  carry  out  their  recommendations. 
The  condition  of  the  national  finances  was  not  so  healthy  as 
in  1837,  when  the  proposals  were  first  broached,  and  they  did 
not  improve  in  the  following  years. ^  The  doubt  as  to  the 
financial  result  of  the  scheme  therefore  made  its  early  adoption 
in  the  normal  course  unlikely.  The  reform  was,  however, 
warmly  taken  up  by  the  Radicals,3  and  in  1839  party  exigencies 
enabled  them  to  insist  on  the  introduction  of  uniform  penny 
postage  as  the  price  of  their  support  in  Parliament.4 

On  the  10th  January  1840,  therefore,  the  reform  was 
introduced.5  The  new  rate  was  one  penny  for  each  of  the 
first    two    half    ounces,    and  twopence    for    each    additional 

*  Third  Report  of  the  Select  Committee  on  Postage,  13th  August  1838,  §  10. 

=  In  1837-8  the  deficiency  was  £1,428,000 ;  in  1838-9,  £430,000  ;  in  1839-40, 
£1,457,000;  in  1840-1,  £1,851,000 ;  and  for  1841-2  it  was  estimated  at  £2,421,000. 

3  "  Was  the  Committee  ignorant — we  think  not — that  the  radicals  in  politics 
and  the  sectarians  in  religion,  have  been  the  warmest  advocates — and  indeed 
(except  the  mercantile  body  we  have  alluded  to)  the  only  very  zealous  advocates 
for  this  penny  post  ?  " — Quarterly  Review^  October  1839,  p.  531.  Cf.  Edinburgh 
Review,  January  1840 ;  J.  Morley,  Life  of  Cobden,  London,  1881,  p.  411. 

*  "  On  the  9th  April  1839,  Lord  Melbourne's  Government  brought  in  what  is 
generally  known  as  the  Jamaica  Bill — a  Bill  for  suspending  for  five  years  the 
constitution  of  that  colony.  This  measure  was  strongly  opposed  by  the 
Conservative  party  (led  by  Sir  Robert  Peel),  and  by  many  of  the  Radicals. 
On  the  second  reading  of  the  Bill,  the  Government  only  escaped  defeat  by  the 
narrow  majority  of  five  votes.  The  Ministry  thereupon  resigned  ;  Sir  Robert  Peel 
was  sent  for  by  her  Majesty,  but  owing  to  the  '  Bedchamber  Difficulty  '  failed  to 
form  a  Government.  Lord  Melbourne  was  recalled,  and  in  the  negotiations  with 
the  Radical  members  for  future  support  to  his  Government,  the  bargain  was 
struck  that  that  support  should  be  given,  provided  Penny  Postage  was  conceded. 

"  Thus  one  of  the  greatest  social  reforms  ever  introduced  was,  to  speak  plainly, 
given  as  a  bribe  by  a  tottering  Government  to  secure  political  support." — The 
Post  Office  of  Fifty  Years  Ago,  London,  1890,  p.  24.  Cf.  Pari.  Debates,  26th 
March  1855,  vol.  cxxxvii,  col.  1136;  Sir  Stafford  H.  Northcote,  Twenty  Years  of 
Financial  Policy,  London,  1862,  pp.  8-9. 

s  As  a  temporary  measure,  with  the  view  of  minimizing  the  practical  difficulties 
of  the  Post  Office,  a  uniform  rate  of  4d.  a  letter  (Id.  a  letter  for  London  local 
letters)  was  introduced  on  the  5th  December  1839. 


LETTER  POST  IN   ENGLAND  31 

ounce.  The  results  were  disappointing  financially.  The 
reduction  in  net  revenue  in  the  first  year  was  one  million 
pounds  sterling  (from  ^61,500,000  to  £500,000),  instead  of 
J6300,000  as  forecasted.  The  number  of  letters,  also,  was 
doubled  only,  instead  of  quadrupled  (in  1839,  82  millions,  in 
1840,  169  millions).  But  the  numbers  continued  to  increase 
rapidly,  in  agreeable  contrast  to  the  stagnation  under  the 
old  system.  By  1847  they  had  quadrupled;  by  1860  they 
had  reached  564  millions ;  and  the  expansion  has  since  been 
continuous.^  The  gross  revenue  of  1839  was  equalled  in  1850, 
and  the  net  revenue  of  1839  was  reached  in  1863.  It  has 
since  gone  on  increasing.  The  plan  was  not  an  immediate 
financial  success :  neither  was  it  a  complete  financial  failure, 
as  sometimes  alleged. =  The  recovery  of  revenue  was  slow, 
but  it  was  constant ;  and  ultimately  the  plan  has  abundantly 
justified  itself  as  a  financial  arrangement. 

The  changes  in  the  British  letter  rates  since  1840  have  not 
been  numerous  or  fundamental.  The  limit  of  weight  for 
letters,  viz.  16  ounces,  fixed  in  1840,  was  abolished  in  1847. 
In  1865  the  progression  of  weight  and  charge  above  one  ounce 
was  made  a  penny  the  half-ounce.  In  1871  the  rates  were 
reduced.  Letters  up  to  1  ounce  in  weight  became  trans- 
missible at  the  penny  rate;  for  the  second  ounce,  and  for 
every  succeeding  2  ounces  up  to   12   ounces,   the  rate  was 

*  Estimate  of  number  of  chargeable  letters  delivered  in  the  United  Kingdom 
(in  round  numbers)  : — 


1839 

Letters 

Franks 

1840 

Letters 

1841 

1842 

1843 

1844 

1845 

1846 

1847 

1848 

1849 

1860 

1900-1     „ 

1913-14  „ 

76-0  millions 

6-6        „ 

169-0 

197-0 

2080 

220'0 

2420 

2710 

3000 

322-0 

3290 

337-0 

664-0 

2,323-6 

3,477-8 

The  total  number  of  packets  of  all  descriptions  delivered  in  the  United 
Kingdom  in  the  year  1913-14  was  about  6,000  millions.— Annual  Reports  of  the 
Postmaster -General. 

'  See  J.  R.  McCulloch,  Taxation  and  the  Funding  System,  Edinburgh,  1863, 
p.  331. 


32 


RATES   OF   POSTAGE 


made  Jd. ;  and  for  letters  weighing  more  than  12  ounces,  Id. 
the  ounce,  including  the  first  ounce.  In  1885  the  rate  of 
Jd.  for  every  2  ounces  after  the  second  ounce  was  continued 
without  limit ;  and  in  1897,  on  the  occasion  of  the  Diamond 
Jubilee  of  Queen  Victoria,  a  further  reduction  of  the  rate 
for  heavier  letters  was  made.  The  scale  of  Id.  for  the  first 
4  ounces,  and  Jd.  for  each  succeeding  2  ounces,  was  then 
introduced.  This  method  of  effecting  a  reduction  was  dictated 
largely  by  a  desire  to  simplify  the  rates  of  postage.  It  ad- 
mitted of  the  abolition  of  the  Sample  Post,  and  of  the  Book 
Post  (except  as  regards  packets  not  exceeding  2  ounces  in 
weight),  and  thus  removed  a  source  of  confusion  and  loss  of 
time  both  to  the  staff  and  the  public. 

In  recent  years  postal  traffic  of  all  kinds  has  increased  rapidly. 
The  growth  in  numbers  is  shown  by  the  following  table : — 


Year. 

Total  number  of  Postal 

Packets  dealt  with  in  the 

United  Kingdom. 

1880-1 

1,682,000,000 

1890-1 

2,623,988,000 

1900-1 

3,723,817,000 

1905-6 

4,686,182,000 

1910-11 

5,281,102,000 

1913-14 

5,920,821,000' 

The  ordinary  letter,  however,  remains  the  characteristic  of 
Post  Office  business  and  the  sheet-anchor  of  postal  finance. 
The  vast  proportion  in  point  of  numbers  still  consists  of 
packets  of  small  weight.^    In  1913-14,  of   a  total   traffic  of 

^  The  number  of  letters  per  head  of  population  shows  a  continuous  increase,  as 
follows : — 


Year. 

England. 

Scotland. 

Ireland. 

United 
Kingdom. 

1880-1 

1890-1 

1900-1 

1905-6 

1910-11 

1913-14 

38 
60 
61 
68 
73 
81 

29 
36 
47 
51 
56 
63 

15 
21 
32 
36 
40 
45 

34 

45. 

57 

62 

68 

75 

^  As  in  other  countries.  It  is  contrary  to  the  general  principles  upon 
which  the  post  is  conducted  in  the  leading  countries  of  Europe  to  throw  a 
quantity  of  heavy  matter  upon  the  letter  post,  which  exists  primarily  for  the 


LETTER  POST  IN  ENGLAND 


33 


some  six  thousand  million  packets  (including  parcels),  nearly 
three  thousand  five  hundred  millions  passed  at  the  letter  rate 
of  postage  (less  than  14  per  cent,  of  which  exceeded  1  ounce 
in  weight),  one  thousand  millions  at  the  postcard  rate, 
another  thousand  millions  at  the  Jd.  packet  rate  (none  exceed- 
ing 2  ounces  in  weight).  The  average  weight  of  the  two 
hundred  million  newspapers  was  just  over  4  ounces,  and  of  the 
hundred  and  thirty  million  parcels,  some  2  to  3  pounds.  Of 
the  total  trafi&c  (including  parcels),  more  than  four  thousand 
millions,  consisting  in  general  of  ordinary  letters  and  post- 
cards, were  under  1  ounce  in  weight ;  and  of  the  remaining  two 
thousand  millions  (including  parcels)  only  some  five  hundred 
millions  exceeded  4  ounces  in  weight. 

The  Post  Office,  in  addition  to  its  ordinary  function  of 
providing  for  the  transmission  of  letters  and  packets,  under- 
takes a  number  of  subsidiary  services.  There  are,  of  course,  the 
telegraphs  and  telephones,  the  money  order,  postal  order,  and 
Savings  Bank  business,  which  have  for  many  years  been  an 
integral  part  of  the  business  of  the  Post  Office.  In  recent 
years  the  Post  Office  has  also  undertaken  the  issue  of 
certain  local  taxation  licenses,  and  the  payment  of  Old  Age 
Pensions  and  Army  Pensions.  Now  it  has  undertaken  the 
sale  of  War  Loan  Stock,  Exchequer  Bonds,  and  War 
Savings  Certificates.  Apart  from  the  telegraphs,  telephones, 
and  Savings  Bank,  however,  these  services  form  only  a  small 
part  of  the  work  of  the  Post  Office.  While  the  total  cost  of 
the  ordinary  postal  services  (i.e.  excluding  telegraphs,  tele- 
phones, and  Savings  Bank)  was  in  1913-14  some  ^917,000,000, 
the  cost  of  the  subsidiary  services  was  only  about  a  million. 

The  staff  of  officers  has  increased  as  follows: — 


Year. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

1880-1 





80,000 

1890-1 

93,046 

24,943 

117,989 

1900-1 

137,807 

35,377 

173,184 

1905-6 

154,351 

41,081 

195,432 

1910-11 

106,073 

46,741 

212,814 

1913-14 

188,794 

60,659 

249,453 ' 

carriage  of  light  letters,  and  would  be  seriously  hampered  by  the  transmission  of 
large  numbers  of  heavy  packages." 
*  Of  these,  123,640  were  established  and  125,813  onestablished  officers. 

4 


34  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

Concurrently  with  the  increase  of  the  number  of  officers, 
the  rate  of  wages  has  been"  revised  on  several  occasions,  as 
the  result  of  the  recommendations  of  Parliamentary  and  other 
Committees  appointed  to  consider  the  question  of  Post  Office 
wages.  The  cost  of  the  increases  of  wages  which  have  been 
granted  as  the  result  of  these  revisions,  calculated  on  the 
basis  of  the  staff  at  the  dates  of  the  respective  revisions, 
without  allowance  for  subsequent  growth  of  force,  is  some 
^3,674,950  per  annum.'  The  increase  of  the  number  of 
officers  has,  of  course,  increased  the  ultimate  cost  of  each 
successive  improvement  in  pay  and  conditions  of  service. 

The  increased  wages  of  the  staff  have  naturally  counter- 
balanced to  some  extent  the  economies  resulting  from  the 
large  increase  of  business.  Since  the  first  of  these  revisions, 
the  Fawcett  of  1881-2,  the  wages  of  the  staff  have  absorbed 
a  larger  percentage  of  the  total  revenue  of  the  postal  services,^ 
and  the  cost  for  staff  per  packet  handled  has  increased  from 

»  The  following  table  shows  the  date  and  annual  cost  of  the  various  revisions : — 

1881-2.  Fawcett  Revision £320,000 

1888-91.  Raikes  Revision 406,600 

1897-8.    Tweedmouth    Revision     (including    Norfolk- 

Hanbury  concessions)   . .         . .         . .          . .         . .  888,000 

1905.  Stanley  Revision        372,300 

1908.  Hobhouse  Committee  Revision 707,900 

1914.  Holt  Committee  Revision 1,335,750 

1894-1912.  Other  improvements 144,400 

Total     ..         ..  £3,674,950 

In  addition,  the  annual  cost  of  the  War  Bonus  granted  in  1915  is  estimated 
at  £1,080,000. 


=  Year. 

Percentage  of  Salaries, 

Wages,  etc.,   to   Total 

Revenue. 

1880-1 

28-39 

1890-1 

35-78 

1900-1 

45-30 

1905-6 

45-34 

1909-10 

49-09 

1910-11 

47-61 

1911-12 

49-20 

1912-13 

47-88 

1913-14 

47-04 

LETTER  POST  IN   ENGLAND 


35 


•288d.  in  1880-1  to  'S^Qd.  in  1890-1,  and  •418d.  in  1913-14.' 
During  the  same  period  the  cost  of  conveyance  of  postal 
packets  has  decreased  from  'ISld.  per  packet  other  than  a 
parcel  in  1880-1,  to  •119d.  in  1890-1,  and  •080d.  in  1913-14.2 
The  total  cost  of  dealing  with  a  postal  packet  other  than  a 
parcel  has  in  recent  years  shown  a  small  decrease.  The  cost 
in  1913-14  has  been  estimated  at  -SSOd.a 

The  gross  revenue  of  the  postal  services,  i.e.  excluding 
telegraphs  and  telephones,  has  increased  from  i>7, 130,819  in 
1880-1  to  i^9,851,078  in  1890-1,  and  £21,928,311  in  1913-14. 
The  net  revenue  from  postal  services  has  increased  from 
£2,720,784  in  1880-1  to  £3,163,989  in  1890-1,  and  £6,642,067 
in  1913-14.  The  expansion  of  net  revenue  has  not  kept  pace 
with  the  increase  in  the  total  number  of  packets  passing 
by  post.  Since  1880  the  total  numbers  have  increased  some 
3J-fold,   and   the  net  revenue   some  2J-fold.4     The  relation 


*  The  increase  is  partly  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  parcels  are  included  in 
the  later  figures.  Deducting  the  estimated  cost  of  the  parcel  post  (see  infra^ 
Chapter  VII),  the  cost  for  staff  for  packets  other  than  parcels  was,  in  1913-14, 
some  •340d.  per  packet. 

=  Omitting  the  cost  of  conveyance  of  mails  by  sea,  and  omitting  the  cost  of 
conveyance  of  parcels  by  railway,  which  is  fixed  by  the  Parcel  Post  Act 
of  1882.-  The  following  table  shows  the  movement  of  the  general  cost  of 
conveyance  of  mails: — 


Year. 

Cost  of 
Conveyance. 

Percentsige  of  Cost  of  Conveyance 
of  Mails  by  Road  and  Rail  to  Total 
Revenue  (excluding  Cost  of  Con- 
veyance of  Parcels  by  Railway). 

1880-1 

£921,093 

16-17 

1890-1 

1,273,894 

12-62 

1900-1 

1,519,219 

11-26 

1905-6 

1,710,891 

10-68 

1910-11 

1,812,505 

9-18 

1913-14 

1,940,735 

8-85 

3  Assuming  there  is  no  loss  on  the  Parcel  Post.  If  there  is  such  loss,  the  cost 
per  packet  other  than  a  parcel  would  be  reduced  (see  infra.  Chapter  VII). 

*  The  general  increase  of  wages  partly  accounts  for  this  (see  p.  34,  opposite). 
The  cost  of  working  is,  however,  higher  in  the  larger  offices  (where  the  bulk  of 
postal  work  is  done)  than  in  the  smaller  offices,  and  tends  to  be  highest  in  the 
largest  offices.  The  matter  is  complicated  by  tlie  fact  that  higher  scales  of  pay 
are  in  force  in  the  larger  towns. 


36 


RATES  OF  POSTAGE 


between  the  gross  revenue  and  the  total  expenditure  on  the 
postal  services,  which  in  recent  years  has  not  shown  any  large 
variation,  fluctuates  in  the  neighbourhood  of  70  per  cent.^ 

Note. — On  the  1st  November  1915,  in  order  to  secure  increased  revenue  for 
war  purposes,  the  inland  letter  rate  vras  increased  to  the  following : — 

For  packets  not  exceeding  1  ounce  in  weight  . .         . .         . .     Id. 

For  packets  between  1  ounce  and  2  ounces       . .         . .         . .     2d. 

For  every  succeeding  2  ounces       . .         . .         Jd. 

Under  the  existing  abnormal  circumstances  it  is  difficult  to  form  a  satisfactory- 
estimate  of  the  result  of  this  increase.  Numerous  contrary  forces  are  in  operation. 
The  growth  of  the  Army  and  the  dislocation  of  private  business  resulting  from 
the  war  have  had  important  effects  on  the  number  of  letters  posted.  Large 
numbers  of  letters  are  exchanged  with  men  in  the  Army,  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
all  letters  from  troops  on  active  service  pass  free  of  postage.  It  has  been 
estimated  that  in  the  first  five  months  the  new  rates  yielded  an  increased 
revenue  of  nearly  half  a  million. — See  Postmaster-General's  statement,  3rd  July 
1916  {Pari.  Debates  [Commons),  vol.  Ixxxiii.  cols.  1231-2). 


Percentage 

of  Total  Expenditure  to 

Total  Revenue. 

»  Year. 

Postal  Services. 

All  Services. 

1839-40*1 

31-66 

1840-41 t 

63-16 

— 

1880-1 

61-84 

68-97 

1890-1 

65-79 

74-33 

1900-1 

71-75 

80-99 

1905-6 

69-44 

80-19 

1909-10 

73-75 

84-00 

1910-11 

72-28 

82-94 

1911-12 

72-36 

82-89 

1912-13 

71-25 

82-05 

1913-14  ♦ 

69-71 

80-02 

♦  Penny  Postage  introduced,  10th  January  1840. 

t  Revenue  does  not  include  proceeds  of  Impressed  Stamp  on  Newspapers. 

\  Estimated. 

— Report  of  Postmaster-General,  1913-14,  pp.  122-3. 


LETTER   POST  IN   CANADA 

When  Canada  came  into  British  hands  after  the  capture 
of  Quebec,  no  postal  arrangements  existed  in  the  province. 
The  population  numbered  only  some  60,000,  excluding  the 
Indians,  and  with  so  small  a  number  spread  over  so  vast  a 
territory  it  was  not  to  be  expected  that  any  Post  Ofi5ce 
establishment  of  the  ordinary  type  could  be  maintained.  ^ 
Very  soon,  however,  the  English  merchants  interested  in 
the  Canadian  trade  urged  upon  the  British  Government  the 
necessity  for  a  regular  service  from  New  York  to  Quebec, 
and  in  this  they  were  supported  by  the  Governor  of  the 
province.  The  Government  instructed  the  Deputy  Post- 
masters-General in  America  to  take  steps  for  the  establishment 
of  the  post,  and  they  accordingly  proceeded  to  Quebec.  There 
they  met  a  young  Scotsman,  Hugh  Finlay,  who  offered  to 
conduct  a  regular  post  between  Quebec  and  Montreal,  under- 
taking all  risks,  for  a  commission  of  20  per  cent,  on  all 
revenue  collected  on  the  post,^  and,  in  addition,  a  monopoly  of 
licensing  persons  to  provide  horses  and  conveyances  for  the 
use  of  travellers — the  old  monopoly  which  had  existed  for  so 
long  in  England  as  a  source  of  emolument  to  the  postmasters. 
Finlay  contracted  for  the  conveyance  of  the  mail  with  a 
number  of  men,  to  whom  he  made  over  the  exclusive  right 
of  furnishing  travellers  on  the  route.  In  addition  to  this 
privilege,  these  men,  who  were  styled  maitres  de  poste, 
were  remunerated  by  payment  at  the  rate  of  6d.  a  league 
(2d.  a  mile)  for  providing  horses  and  carriages  for  the  couriers. 
Between  Quebec  and  Montreal,  a  distance  of  180  miles,  there 

__'  *'  The  inhabitants  live  so  scattered  and  remote  from  each  other  in  that  vast 
country,  that  posts  cannot  be  supported  among  them."— Benjamin  Franklin, 
evidence  before  House  of  Commons,  28th  January,  1766  (Pari.  History,  voL  xvT 
col.  138). 

1^ '  The  usual  rate  of  remuneration  for  deputy  postmasters  in  North  Ameriga. 
Cf .  infra,  pp.  49  and  66. 

37 


38  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

were  twenty-seven  maitres  de  poste  and  two  post  offices,  viz., 
Three  Eivers  and  Berthier.  On  the  whole  route,  which  was 
not  of  the  easiest,  there  was  not  a  single  inn ;  there  were 
six  ferries  to  cross,  that  at  Three  Eivers  being  three  miles 
wide,  and  one  near  Montreal  nearly  three-quarters  of  a 
mile.  There  was  a  service  twice  a  week  in  each  direction, 
and  the  journey  occupied  about  forty  hours,  the  courier  who 
left  Quebec  at  five  o'clock  on  Monday  afternoon  arriving 
at  Montreal  on  Wednesday  morning,  and  the  courier  leaving 
Montreal  on  Thursday  evening  reaching  Quebec  on  Saturday 
morning. 

The  statutory  authority  for  the  establishment  of  posts  in 
Canada,  as  in  other  parts  of  North  America,  was  section  4 
of  the  Act  of  the  9th  of  Anne.  This  Act,  however,  failed 
to  prescribe  for  North  America  rates  of  postage  for  letters 
passing  greater  distances  than  100  miles.  Hence,  for  the  post 
from  Quebec  to  Montreal  no  legal  rate  was  ascertainable.  The 
rate  actually  charged  was  8d.  for  a  single  letter,  and  so  in 
proportion  for  double,  treble,  and  ounce  letters,  which  was 
not  an  excessive  charge,  seeing  that  the  legal  charge  for 
distances  up  to  100  miles  was  6d.  for  a  single  letter.  It 
proved  sufficient,  however ;  the  whole  scheme  was  completely 
successful  and  greatly  appreciated  by  the  colonists.  To  link 
this  local  post  with  the  service  from  England,  the  Postmasters- 
General  at  New  York  arranged  a  connecting  post  to  run 
monthly  in  connection  with  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the 
English  packets.  They  realized  that  the  number  of  letters 
likely  to  be  carried  by  such  a  post  would  be  small  and  would 
not  yield  a  revenue  nearly  equal  to  the  expenses,  the  more 
so  as,  in  any  case,  a  comparatively  high  rate  of  postage  would 
be  payable  on  account  of  the  great  distance,  and  in  recommend- 
ing its  establishment,  they  suggested  moderate  rates  of  charge.^ 

The  Act  of  1765  provided  reduced  rates  of  postage  for  North 
America.  "  The  vast  accession  of  territory  gained  by  the  late 
Treaty  of  Peace,"  and  the  establishment  of  new  posts  in 
America,  for  which  rates  of  postage  could  not  be  ascertained 

*  **  On  account  of  the  scarcity  of  money,  people  will  forbear  to  correspond  until 
they  find  occasions  by  friends,  travellers,  and  the  like,  to  send  their  letters,  which 
makes  it  to  be  wished  that  the  Legislature  might  enact  that  the  rate  of  postage 
for  the  greatest  distances  on  the  Continent  of  America  may  not  exceed  Is.  6d.  for 
^  single  letter  and  so  in  proportion." — British  Official  Records,  1764, 


LETTER  POST  IN   CANADA  39 

under  the  existing  law,^  made  a  new  Act  necessary,  and  the 
rates  prescribed  in  that  Act  were  fixed  under  the  enhghtened 
principle  that  moderate  rates  might  yield  increased  revenue.^ 
The  rate  which  would  apply  to  Canada,  for  the  greatest 
distances,  was  fixed  at  8d.  for  a  single  letter  for  not  more 
than  200  miles,  and  2d.  for  each  100  miles  beyond  200  miles- 
double  letters  double  rates,  treble  letters  treble  rates,  ounce 
letter  four  times  the  single  rate,  in  the  usual  way. 

In  January  1774  Finlay  was  appointed  joint  **  Deputy- 
General  for  the  Northern  District  of  America  "  in  the  room 
of  Dr.  Frankhn.  He  was  allowed  to  retain,  for  the  time 
being,  the  benefits  of  the  Post  Office  at  Quebec,  which,  in 
the  words  of  the  letter  of  appointment,  he  had  been  "  so 
instrumental  in  bringing  to  a  degree  of  perfection."  3  The 
disturbances  of  1775  in  the  coast  colonies  soon  affected  the 
post  to  Canada.  In  September  of  that  year,  the  prospect 
of  getting  mails  through  from  Canada  to  New  York  was 
so  slight  that  Finlay  was  anticipating  the  suspension  of 
all  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  world  during  the 
whole  of  the  winter,  unless  letters  could  be  conveyed  to 
Halifax.  The  couriers  were  frequently  held  up  by  armed 
men  and  robbed,  and  by  November  matters  had  become  so 
serious  that  all  postal  arrangements  in  the  province  were 
stayed.  Quebec  was  besieged  throughout  the  winter  and 
spring.  After  its  relief  Finlay  tried  to  set  up  the  posts 
again,  but  unsuccessfully,  as  the  Governor  refused  to  re- 
establish the  monopoly  of  the  maitres  de  poste,  on  the 
ground  that  travellers  in  Canada  were  very  well  accommo- 
dated in  horses  and  conveyances  and  did  not  desire  its 
re-establishment.  Without  it  Finlay  was  unable  to  main- 
tain a  service,  and  no  posts  existed  during  the  remaining 
period  of  the  war. 

After  peace  had  been  restored,  Finlay  represented  the 
matter  so  strongly  that  the  monopoly  was  re-established. 
The  posts  were  again  set  up,  and  Finlay  was  appointed 
Deputy   Postmaster-General    of    Canada,    Nova    Scotia,    and 

'  Preamble  of  5  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25. 

"  "  The  present  rates  may  in  some  parts  be  reduced,  and  the  Revenue  never- 
theless may  hereafter  be  improved,  by  means  of  a  more  extensive  circulation." 
—6  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25,  §  1. 

3  British  Oj^cial  Records,  8th  February  1774. 


40  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

New  Brunswick.  The  mails  for  Canada  were  still  sent  by 
way  of  New  York,  as  before  the  war,  but  for  military  reasons 
it  was  important  that  a  mail  route  should  be  established  from 
Halifax,  the  military  headquarters,  to  run  altogether  within 
British  territory.  In  1787  a  fortnightly  post  (monthly  in 
winter)  was  accordingly  established  between  Quebec  and 
Halifax.^  The  mail  went  by  Kiver  du  Loup,  near  the 
Grand  Portage,  where  the  courier  from  Quebec  handed  over 
his  mail  to  the  courier  from  Fredericton ;  by  the  Mada- 
waska  to  the  Grand  Falls;  thence  by  boat  to  Fredericton. 
A  fresh  courier  went  by  boat  from  Fredericton  to  the  mouth 
of  the  St.  John's  Eiver.  Here  the  mail  was  transferred  to 
a  sloop  of  about  34  tons  burthen  for  conveyance  across 
the  Bay  of  Fundy  to  Digby,  whence  the  route  lay  by 
Annapolis.  The  total  distance  from  Quebec  to  Halifax  was 
633  miles,  and  the  time  required  for  the  trip  varied  from 
twenty-one  to  thirty-one  days. 

A  mail  route  from  Montreal  into  Upper  Canada  was  also 
established,  but  this  was  rather  a  military  post,  intended  to 
serve  the  miHtary  stations  and  frontier  settlements.  The 
mail  was  despatched  only  once  a  year  and  was,  in  conse- 
quence, known  as  the  ''yearly  express."  The  route  fol- 
lowed was  by  the  St.  Lawrence  from  Montreal  to  Matilda, 
Augusta,  and  Kingston ;  across  Lake  Ontario  to  Niagara ; 
thence  to  Detroit  Fort,  at  the  base  of  Lake  St.  Clair,  and 
across  Lake  Huron  to  Michilimackinac,  at  the  head  of  Lakes 
Huron  and  Michigan.  After  continuing  some  six  years  this 
post  was  curtailed  and  went  no  farther  than  Niagara. ^ 

In  1800  Finlay  was  succeeded  in  the  deputyship  by  John 
Heriot.  The  population  had  now  increased  to  450,000,  but 
there  were  only  twenty  post  offices  in  the  whole  of  the  five 
provinces.  Heriot's  patent  gave  him  authority  to  establish 
new  routes  and  offices,  but,  in  accordance  with  the  general 
policy,  only  when  in  his  opinion  their  establishment  would 
be  likely  to  benefit  revenue.  The  rates  at  this  time  were, 
of  course,  nominally  based  on  the  Act  of  the  5th  George  III, 
but  as  the  routes  had  never  been  properly  measured,  the 
distances    on    which    the    rates    were    actually    based    were 

»  British  Official  Records,  23rd  September  1790. 

»  J.  G.  Hendy,  Empire  Review,  London,  1902,  vol.  iv.,  p.  180. 


LETTER   POST  IN   CANADA  41 

largely  a  matter  of  conjecture.  The  posts  were  said,  how- 
ever, to  have  paid  their  way  and  even  to  have  yielded  a 
surplus  revenue,  which  was  transmitted  to  England.' 

The  administration  of  the  posts  rested  ultimately  with  the 
Postmasters-General  in  London.  The  service  could  be  extended 
only  by  their  authority,  and  the  colonists  found  that  the 
Deputy  in  the  colonies,  being  bound  by  his  instructions  from 
the  Postmasters-General,  was  unable  to  extend  and  improve 
the  service  in  the  manner  which  they  themselves  thought 
desirable.  A  large  number  of  immigrants  entered  the 
provinces,  especially  Upper  Canada,  during  this  period,  and 
settlements  were  springing  up  in  remote  districts  far  away 
from  the  post  routes.  Heriot  was  admonished  from  London 
that  in  considering  the  provision  of  new  services  he  must 
look  to  the  revenue  to  be  anticipated  as  well  as  to  the  con- 
venience of  the  pubhc,  and  to  adopt  no  scheme  involving 
sacrifice  of  revenue.  His  instructions  forbade  the  opening 
of  any  post  office  or  post  route  unless  the  anticipated  revenue 
was  sufficient  at  least  to  pay  the  postmaster  and  courier. 
He  found  that  these  restrictions  prevented  him  from  providing 
a  service  in  any  degree  adequate  to  the  demands  of  the  settlers, 
or  indeed  adequate  to  their  real  needs.  It  was  essential  that 
the  settlers  in  the  remote  districts  should  be  kept  in  touch 
with  civilization.  They  could  not  be  allowed  to  pass  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  Government.  They  must  be  kept  in  contact 
with  the  means  provided  for  the  administration  of  the  law. 

'  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  revenues  of  the  provinces  showed  a  nominal 
surplus,  but  it  is  not  so  clear  that  this  surplus,  which  amounted  to  £884  in  1801, 
and  to  £2,514  in  1811,  was  a  surplus  on  the  provincial  services.  Many  years 
later,  when  the  administration  of  the  Post  Office  in  the  colonies  and  the  question 
of  the  disposal  of  the  surplus  revenue  had  become  part  of  a  political  matter 
of  the  first  magnitude,  the  provincial  Legislatures  alleged  that  the  surplus 
amounted  to  a  very  considerable  sum  each  year,  and  that  the  circumstances 
constituted  a  taxation  of  the  colonies  by  the  Mother  Country ;  but  the  Deputy 
Postmaster-General  asserted  that  this  surplus  was  in  fact  composed  of  revenues 
to  which  the  colonies  had  no  claim,  viz.  the  charges  for  British  packet  postage, 
that  is,  for  transmission  of  letters  across  the  ocean,  and  payments  in  respect 
of  military  postage,  and  that  in  point  of  fact  the  local  service  had  never  yielded 
a  surplus — that,  indeed,  there  was  probably  a  deficit. 

"  This  I  feel  myself  bound  to  state  as  my  firm  conviction,  that  neither  for  the 
last  ten  years,  nor  for  any  previous  period,  has  the  postage  of  Lower  Canada 
afforded  one  farthing  of  Net  Revenue."— Mr.  T.  A.  Stayner,  Deputy  Postmaster- 
General  {Report  of  Special  Committee  of  the  House  of  Assembly  on  the  Post  Office 
Department  in  the  Province  of  Lower  Canada,  11th  February  1832,  p.  12). 


42  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

For  these  reasons  it  was  essential  to  provide  post  accommo- 
dation, although  in  the  nature  of  the  case  it  could  not 
be  expected  that  a  revenue  sufficient  to  cover  the  cost  would 
be  obtained.  All  these  considerations  were  pressed  on  the 
Deputy,  and  he  was  so  far  persuaded  as  sometimes,  in  re- 
sponse to  urgent  local  representations,  to  depart  from  his 
specific  instructions.  But  such  cases  usually  led  to  a 
reprimand.  The  natural  result  was  that  the  province  was 
driven  itself  to  undertake  by  grants  from  the  public  funds 
the  provision  of  many  local  services  which  it  deemed  essential. 

Thus  grew  up  the  anomalous  system  under  which  the 
colonies  made  large  grants  in  aid  of  the  service,  but  were 
unable  to  exercise  any  substantial  control  over  its  adminis- 
tration. The  more  important  routes  were  self-supporting  and 
were  controlled  entirely  from  England.  In  order  to  obtain 
extensions  of  the  service  the  colonists,  through  the  Governor, 
requested  the  establishment  of  certain  services,  undertaking 
that,  if  the  revenue  derived  from  these  services  should  prove 
insufficient  to  meet  the  expenditure,  the  balance  should  be 
made  up  by  the  colony.  A  regular  post  was  established  in 
1801  between  Quebec  and  York  (Toronto)  under  a  guarantee 
of  this  kind.  The  colonists  naturally  wished  to  have  some 
controlling  voice  in  the  administration ;  but  the  Deputy,  holding 
office  under  the  Imperial  authorities,  was  not  bound  to  concede 
to  them  any  rights  over  the  administration  of  the  service,  how- 
ever great  sums  they  might  pay  towards  its  maintenance — a 
situation  which  was  sure  to  lead  to  difficulties.  Whether  or 
not  serious  trouble  occurred  depended  in  large  degree  on  the 
character  of  the  Deputy.^  In  later  years  there  was  consider- 
able friction  and  much  irritation  on  the  part  of  the  colonists. 

In  Nova  Scotia  the  system  of  grants  in  aid  was  developed 
to  an  even  greater  extent  than  in  Upper  Canada.  When 
Sir  George  Provost  became  Governor  in  1808,  there  were 
only  five  post  offices  in  Nova  Scotia — Halifax,  Windsor, 
Horton,  Annapolis,  and  Digby — and  they  were  all  on  the 
line  of  the  Quebec  post.  Sir  George  was  anxious  for  an 
extension  of  the  posts  on  military  rather  than  general 
grounds,   and    he    asked    the   postmaster  of    Halifax,   John 

'  See,  e.g.,  Report  of  Special  Committee,  House  of  Assembly,  Loiver  Canada, 
8th  March  1836. 


LETTER  POST  IN   CANADA  43 

Howe,  to  establish  several  new  routes.  Howe  was  inclined 
to  favour  the  projected  posts,  but  Heriot  realized  that  they 
could  not  be  expected  to  yield  a  revenue  equal  to  their 
cost,  and  he  informed  the  Governor  that  his  instructions 
from  England  prevented  compliance  with  the  request.  Sir 
George  Provost  thereupon  induced  the  Legislature  to 
appropriate  a  sufficient  sum  for  the  establishment  of  the 
posts.  The  Governors  of  New  Brunswick  and  Prince 
Edward  Island  followed  this  example,  with  the  result  that 
a  large  part  of  the  Post  Office  establishment  in  these 
provinces  was  outside  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Imperial 
authorities. 

This  development  is  noteworthy.  It  has  always  been 
found  in  Canada  that  for  a  large  part  of  the  country  the 
circumstances  are  such  that  a  postal  service  adequate  to 
the  necessities  of  the  inhabitants  cannot  be  self-supporting, 
but  the  Legislature  has  never  hesitated  to  make  grants  from 
general  taxation  in  order  to  provide  means  of  communication. 
In  the  early  days  the  question  of  post  office  communication 
was  intimately  bound  up  with  the  question  of  general  means 
of  communication,  and  was  usually  treated  in  connection 
with  the  making  or  maintenance  of  roads.  For  a  long 
period  the  posts  in  Canada  were  maintained  not  solely  for 
the  transmission  of  letters,  but  to  a  great  extent  on  account 
of  collateral  advantages.  They  were  largely  military  in 
character,  and  were  identified  with  the  military  routes.^ 

In  1816  Daniel  Sutherland  was  appointed  Deputy  Post- 
master-General for  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  and  New  Brunswick. 
Under  his  administration  the  development  of  the  service 
was  pushed  forward,  and  so  far  as  was  found  consistent 
with  the  interests  of  revenue,  new  offices  and  routes  were 
established.  But  in  1820  there  were  still  no  more  than 
forty-nine  post  offices  in  the  whole  of  British  North  America, 
distributed  thus :  in  Lower  Canada  twenty  offices,  in  Upper 

'  In  1790  Governor  Carleton  of  New  Brunswick  manned  the  posts  at 
St.  John,  Cumberland,  Preguile,  and  Fredericton  with  a  troop  of  soldiers,  by 
which  means  ''the  route  was  kept  in  good  order";  and  in  1794  the  Duke 
of  Kent,  then  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  forces  in  Nova  Scotia,  constructed 
a  military  post  road  from  Halifax  to  Annapolis,  and  also  other  roads  in  the 
vicinity  of  Halifax.— Briiis/i  Airierica  (British  Empire  Series,  vol.  iii.,  London, 
1900),  p.  121. 


44  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

Canada  nineteen,  in  Nova  Scotia  six,  in  New  Brunswick 
three,  and  in  Prince  Edward  Island  one.  The  progress 
was  from  this  time  somewhat  more  rapid.  By  1824  the 
number  of  offices  in  the  Canadas  alone  had  risen  to  sixty- 
nine,  and  during  the  next  ten  or  fifteen  years  the  growth, 
both  of  Post  Office  accommodation  and  of  Post  Office  revenue, 
was  more  rapid  than  the  growth  of  population. 

The  settlers  were  not,  however,  completely  satisfied.  Their 
complaints  were  to  some  extent  laid  against  the  administration 
of  the  office — they  claimed,  for  example,  that  gross  overcharges 
of  postage  were  being  made,  through  incorrect  computation 
of  the  distances  on  the  post  roads — but  they  became  more 
and  more  dissatisfied  that  the  control  of  the  whole  of  the 
service  and  its  officers  should  rest  with  the  Postmaster- 
General  in  England.  The  question  was,  of  course,  to  a  large 
extent  political,  and  one  only  among  the  several  general 
grievances  of  the  colonists  at  this  period,  which  caused  so 
much  anxiety  to  the  Home  authorities. 

As  early  as  1819  a  movement  began  in  Upper  Canada  to 
obtain  the  transference  of  the  administration  to  the  provincial 
authorities.  A  Committee  of  the  House  of  Assembly  considered 
the  abuses  of  the  existing  Post  Office  system,  and  on  pre- 
sentation of  their  report,  in  March  1820,  the  House  passed  a 
resolution  condemning  the  administration  of  the  service.  The 
question  continued  to  receive  a  good  deal  of  attention.  The  chief 
complaint  of  the  colonists  was  that  a  net  revenue  was  year 
by  year  transmitted  to  London.  There  is  no  doubt  that  a 
balance  was  paid  over  to  the  Imperial  administration  year 
by  year,  but  it  is  questionable  whether  any  of  this  balance 
was  a  net  revenue  on  the  local  service. '  The  colonists  chose 
so  to  regard  it.  They  advanced  the  contention  that  the  legal 
right  of  the  Imperial  Government  to  levy  postage  rates 
in  the  colonies  at  all  was  doubtful,  because  postage  was  a 
tax;  and  the  raising  of  money  by  authorities  outside  the 
colonies  was  a  direct  infringement  of  their  own  constitution, 
which  provides  that  "  no  tax  shall  be  levied  on  the  people 
of  this  country  except  such  as  shall  be  appropriated  for  the 
public  use  and  accounted  for  by  the  Legislature,"  ^  and  of 
the  Declaratory  Act,  in  which  Great  Britain  disclaimed  the 
'  Vide  p.  41,  note,  supra.  »  31  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  31. 


LETTER  POST  IN   CANADA  45 

right  to  impose  upon  a  colony  any  duty,  tax,  or  assessment, 
except  where  necessary  for  the  regulation  of  commerce.^  The 
Government  were  advised  by  the  Law  Officers  that  it  would 
not  be  wise  to  contest  the  point,  and  proceeded  to  consider 
a  measure  for  placing  the  establishment  on  a  more  satisfactory 
basis. 

If  the  Home  Government  could  have  agreed  to  hand  over 
the  entire  administration  of  the  office  in  British  North 
America  to  the  local  Legislatures,  there  would  have  been 
an  end  of  the  matter.  But  such  a  course  would  have  left 
the  interior  provinces  at  the  mercy  of  those  on  the  sea- 
board as  to  the  conveyance  across  those  colonies  of  the  mails 
to  and  from  England.  Although  there  was  no  desire  to 
continue  the  appropriation  to  the  Imperial  revenue  of  any 
surplus  which  might  arise  on  the  service  in  North  America, 
it  was  felt  to  be  highly  desirable  that  the  Imperial  Government 
should  retain  control  over  the  administration  of  the  office, 
particularly  in  the  matter  of  fixing  the  rates  of  postage,  since 
by  that  means  excessive  charges  for  transit  across  other 
provinces  would  be  prevented.  But  in  controlling  the 
administration  from  London  there  was  the  difficulty  that  any 
alteration  of  the  rates  of  postage  by  Act  of  the  British 
Parliament  might  be  an  infringement  of  the  rights  of  the 
colonists  under  the  Declaratory  Act  of  1778.  Accordingly, 
all  intention  of  direct  legislation  by  the  British  Parliament 
was  abandoned,  and  in  1834  an  Act  was  passed,^  repealing  the 
Act  of  the  5th  George  III,  on  which  the  whole  Post  Office 
establishment  of  North  America  rested,  conditionally  on  the 
passing  by  the  Legislatures  of  all  the  provinces  of  a  Bill  for 
the  regulation  of  the  colonial  Post  Office  service,  which  had 
been  prepared  in  London.  This  Bill  provided  that  the 
ultimate  control  of  the  whole  service  in  British  North 
America  should  remain  in  the  hands  of  the  Postmaster- 
General  in  London,  but  that  the  rates  of  postage  should  be 
fixed  by  the  local  Legislatures,  and  any  surplus  of  revenue 
over   expenditure   should  be   divided  between  the  provinces. 

Nova  Scotia  was  prepared  to  accept  the  Bill,  but  only  with 
modifications  which  would  have  prevented  its  adoption  as  the 
basis  of  a  general  service  throughout  the  five  provinces.  New 
'  18  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  12.  -  4  WiU.  IV,  cap.  7. 


46  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

Brunswick  and  both  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  rejected  the 
Bill.  The  Assembly  of  Lower  Canada  substituted  a  Bill  of 
its  own.^  The  Legislative  Council  were  indisposed  to  accept 
the  substituted  Bill,^  and  in  March  1836  adopted  an  Address 
to  his  Majesty,  explaining  that  in  their  view  it  would  be 
exceedingly  difficult,  if  not  impracticable,  to  secure  the 
co-operation  between  the  separate  Post  Office  establishments 
of  the  several  provinces  essential  for  the  attainment  of  the 
purpose  of  the  original  measure,  and  they  pointed  for  illus- 
tration to  the  United  States,  a  country  where,  notwithstanding 
a  keen  regard  for  State  rights,  the  whole  control  and  manage- 
ment of  the  Post  Office  department  had  been  delegated  to  the 
Federal  Government.  Since  the  Post  Office  establishment 
was  a  most  effective  means  for  strengthening  the  ties 
connecting  the  several  provinces,  as  well  as  an  essential  aid 
and  convenience  of  commerce,  they  deemed  the  best  course 
to  be  the  retention  by  the  Imperial  Parliament  of  the  exclusive 
power  of  legislating  for  the  control  and  management  of  the 
Post  Office  in  all  parts  of  the  Empire.  In  March  of  the 
following  year,  there  being  still  no  prospect  of  the  adoption 
of  the  Bill  by  the  provinces,  the  House  of  Assembly  and 
Legislative  Council  of  Upper  Canada  adopted  a  joint  Address 
to  his  Majesty,  substantially  identical  with  that  adopted  a 
year  earlier  by  the  Legislative  Council  of  Lower  Canada.  It 
was  clear  that  little  progress  was  to  be  anticipated.  3 

*  B^ort  of  Special  Committee,  House  of  Assembly,  Lower  Canada,  8th  March 
1836. 

"^  Ibid.,  Legislative  Council,  Lower  Canada,  15th  March  1836.  Cf.  Report  of 
Select  Committee,  Legislative  Council,  Upper  Canada,  17th  February  1887. 

3  •*  We  have  failed  to  discover  reasonable  grounds  for  hoping  that  the  several 
Colonial  Legislatures  will  soon  (if  indeed  they  ever  will)  arrive  at  such 
uniformity  in  their  enactments  for  the  management  of  the  Post  Office  within 
their  respective  localities  as  would  ensure  the  establishment  of  a  practicable 
system,  more  especially  since  it  is  admitted  that  the  Bill  of  one  Legislature,  in 
order  to  become  effective,  must  correspond  in  all  its  material  provisions  with 
the  Bills  of  all  the  other  Legislatures,  and  that  after  these  Bills  have  been  found 
to  correspond  with  one  another,  and  had  in  consequence  thereof  become  Laws, 
no  alterations  in  them,  however  expedient  it  might  be  deemed  by  one 
Legislature  for  the  improvement  of  the  system,  could  be  carried  into  effect, 
until  agreed  to  by  each  separate  Legislature." — Joint  Address,  Legislature  of 
Upper  Canada,  March  1837,  p.  11. 

An  example  of  the  difficulties  likely  c  be  encountered,  and  some  justification 
for  the  reluctance  of  the  Imperial  authorities  to  yield  control  of  the  service,  is 
afforded  by  a  dispute  which  occurred  at  about  this  time  between  Canada  and 


LETTER   POST  IN   CANADA  47 

In  1840  a  Commission  was  appointed.  Its  attention  was 
directed  more  especially  to  the  faulty  administration  of  the 
office  and  the  excessive  rates  of  postage.  To  remedy  the 
former,  and  to  make  the  administration  more  amenable  to 
local  control,  they  suggested  placing  the  Deputy  Postmaster- 
General  under  the  control  of  the  Governor-General  in  all 
matters  which  did  not  conflict  with  the  authority  of  the 
Postmaster-General  in  England.  As  to  postage,  they  were 
satisfied  that  the  rates  at  that  time  in  operation  were  too  high. 
They  considered  that  the  rates  should  be  such  as  would  yield 
a  revenue  sufficient  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  department, 
and  no  more ;  and  in  their  view,  if  the  revenue  improved  after 
the  establishment  of  such  rates,  which  there  should  be  no 
difficulty  in  calculating,  the  proper  course  would  be  either  to 
grant  further  facilities  or  further  to  reduce  the  rates.  There 
should  not  in  any  case  be  a  net  revenue  of  any  magnitude. 
The  Commissioners  themselves  made  an  estimate  of  the  rate 
which  should  fulfil  the  requirements  they  had  detailed.  In  so 
doing  they  proceeded  on  much  the  same  lines  as  Sir  Rowland 
Hill  in  his  pamphlet  Post  Office  Beform :  Its  Importance  and 
Practicability.  They  had  no  difficulty  in  answering  the  demand 
for  penny  postage  in  British  North  America,  a  demand  based 
on  its  successful  inauguration  in  England.  The  circumstances 
in  the  two  countries  were  not  comparable.  England,  small 
and  densely  populated,  the  first  industrial  and  commercial 
nation  of  the  world,  could  not  in  such  a  matter  be  compared 
with  a  country  of  vast  extent,  sparsely  peopled  and  almost 
entirely  agricultural.  While  Sir  Rowland  Hill  had  been  able 
to  show  that  in  the  case  of  letters  conveyed  for  comparatively 
long  distances  in  England  the  actual  cost  of  carriage  was  only 
one  thirty-sixth  part  of  a  penny,  the  Commissioners  found 
that  in  British  North  America  the  actual  average  cost  of 
conveyance  was  no  less  than  3d.,  and  the  actual  average  total 
cost  of  dealing  with  letters  no  less  than  5Jd.  Uniformity  of 
rate  at  a  penny,   which  had   been  justified  in  England  on 

Nova  Scotia  concerning  the  arrangements  for  the  transmission  of  the  British 
mails  between  Quebec  and  Halifax.  Nova  Scotia  refused  for  the  first  time  to 
make  good  the  deficiency  in  the  Post  Office  revenue.  The  authorities  in 
London  thereupon  ordered  the  Deputy  in  the  province  to  discontinue  all 
unremunerative  services,  a  course  of  action  which  proved  effective. 


48  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

existing  facts  of  the  service,  could  therefore  find  no  similar 
justification  in  North  America. 

There  could,  however,  be  no  doubt  that  with  a  reduction 
of  the  rate,  which  then  averaged  8Jd.  a  letter,  the  number  of 
letters  would  be  very  greatly  increased  and  the  cost  per 
letter  consequently  reduced.  The  public  were  in  the  habit 
of  making  use  of  every  available  means  other  than  the  post 
for  forwarding  their  letters.  Steamboats  which  carried  a 
mail  would  carry  outside  the  mail  many  times  the  number 
of  letters  that  were  enclosed  in  the  mail.  Teamsters,  stage 
drivers,  and  ordinary  travellers  all  carried  large  numbers  of 
letters,  and  in  cases  where  no  such  opportunity  offered, 
persons  had  been  known  to  enclose  the  letter  in  a  small 
package,  which  could  be  sent  as  freight  at  less  charge  than 
the  rate  of  postage  on  the  single  letter.  If,  therefore,  all 
these  letters,  and  the  many  additional  letters  which  would  be 
written  if  transmission  were  cheap  and  easy,  were  sent  in 
the  mails,  the  cost  of  the  service  would  not  be  by  any  means 
proportionately  increased,  and  the  average  cost  per  letter 
would  be  very  greatly  reduced.  It  would  still,  however,  have 
been  considerably  more  than  a  penny.  Their  conclusions  were 
less  satisfactory  in  regard  to  the  rates  actually  recommended. 
They  proposed  a  graduation  according  to  distance  of  no  less 
than  five  stages,  starting  with  as  short  a  distance  as  80  miles. 
For  this  the  rate  was  2d.,  and  the  scale  rose  to  Is.  for  distances 
over  300  miles.  The  only  virtues  of  the  rates  were  that  they 
were  lower  than  those  in  operation  in  the  United  States  and 
were  to  be  charged  by  weight.^ 

The  chief  recommendations  of  this  report  were  carried 
out  under  the  authority  of  the  Colonial  Office.  The  weight 
basis  for  determining  rates  of  postage  was  adopted,  and  the 
Deputy  Postmaster-General's  authority  was  restricted.  His 
privilege  of  sending  newspapers  free  of  postage  was  also  taken 
away,  and  in  compensation  he  was  given  a  salary  of  ^2,500 
a  year — personal  to  himself,  and  high  on  account  of  his  long 
enjoyment  of  the  lucrative  newspaper  privilege.  That  for 
his  successor  was  fixed  at  d61,500  a  year.  The  agitation  in 
the  provinces  in  regard  to  the  Post  Office   continued  during 

*  Beport  of  the  Commissioners  appointed  to  enquire  into  the  affairs  of  the  Post 
Office  in  British  North  America,  31st  December  1841. 


LETTER  POST  IN  CANADA  49 

the  succeeding  years,  but  it  was  less  vehement  and  concerned 
itself  more  with  the  question  of  rates  than  with  questions  of 
administration. 

In  1842  a  member  of  the  headquarters  staff  of  the  British 
office  (Mr.  W.  J.  Page)  was  commissioned  to  examine  and 
reorganize  the  service  in  the  Maritime  Provinces,  with  the 
object  more  especially  of  introducing  such  measures  of  reform 
as  should  bring  the  expenditures  of  the  department  in  those 
provinces   within   the   revenue.     His   reports   throw   a   flood 
of    light   on    the   state   and    methods    of    the    service.^     He 
found   extraordinary  anomalies   in  the  methods   of   charging 
postage,  in  the  methods  of   remunerating  the   Deputy-Post- 
masters, the  couriers,  and  the  Way  Office  keepers,  and   in 
the   relations    subsisting   between    the    Post    Office  and   the 
local  Legislatures.     The  financial  arrangements  of  the  office 
were  in  a  condition  which  can  only  be  described  as  chaotic. 
Postage  was,  of  course,  chargeable  on  the   total   journey  of 
the  letter.     But  in  Nova  Scotia  letters  were  charged  with 
a  new  rate    at  each  office  through  which  they   passed,  and 
postage  became   an    excessive   charge   on   all    letters   which 
passed   through   two   or   three   offices.      Deputy-Postmasters 
were  paid  a  percentage,  usually  20  per  cent.,  on  the  amount 
of  postage  collected  by  them,  but  their  chief  remuneration  in 
many  cases  arose    from  the   right   which   they   exercised  of 
franking   all   their   private   and    business   correspondence,    a 
consideration  which  they  had  principally,  if  not  exclusively, 
in   view   in    taking   up    their    appointments.      Many   of   the 
deputies    were    lawyers    or    other    professional    men.      The 
privilege  was  nominally  subject  to  the  limitation  of  four  single 
letters,  or  two  double  letters,  or  one  packet  of  an  ounce  by 
each  mail ;  but  this  limitation  was  very  generally  disregarded. 
To  such  an  extent  was  this  the  case  that  one-half  of  many 
mails  consisted  of  free  letters. 

Couriers  received  fixed  wages,  which  were  either  paid 
by  the  Deputy  Postmaster-General  out  of  the  general  funds 
of  the  department,  or  from  grants  in  aid,  given  by  the  Legis- 
lature specifically  for  the  support  of  the  respective  routes. 
Way  Office  keepers  received  no  remuneration  from  the 
department :  in  many  instances  the  existence  of  the  Way 
'  British  Official  Records,  1842-3, 

5 


50  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

Offices  was  unknown  at  Halifax.  This  was  explained  in 
great  part  by  the  manner  in  which  such  offices  were  usually 
established.  A  courier  travelling  a  particular  line  of  road 
received  from  the  despatching  postmaster  a  number  of  "  way 
letters,"  or  letters  for  persons  living  on  or  near  his  route. 
Partly  for  his  own  convenience,  and  partly  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  persons  addressed,  the  courier  would  leave  packets 
of  the  letters  at  some  house  on  the  route,  and  the  occupant 
would  collect  the  postage  on  behalf  of  the  courier.  In  course 
of  time  the  courier  induced  the  postmaster  to  make  up  the 
letters  for  this  particular  place  separately,  and  to  open  a  private 
account  with  the  householder,  who  thus  became  an  agent  for 
the  postmaster,  and  the  house  became  a  Way  Office.  The 
keepers  of  these  Way  Offices  usually  charged  a  fee  of  2d.  on 
each  letter  received  or  sent.  The  Post  Office  was  not  in  any 
way  concerned  in  the  transactions,  except  that  in  some  cases, 
where  it  was  not  always  possible  for  the  Way  Office  keeper  to 
obtain  his  fee  in  advance,  the  practice  grew  up,  with  the  co- 
operation of  the  Deputy-Postmaster,  of  charging  forward  the 
unpaid  Way  Office  keeper's  fee  as  unpaid  forward  ''postage." 
Some  of  the  Way  Office  keepers  also  claimed  and  exercised  the 
same  rights  of  franking  as  the  Deputy  Postmasters.  Others 
were  paid  on  the  basis  of  a  percentage  of  20  per  cent,  of 
the  postage  collected ;  and  in  such  cases  some  of  the  keepers 
still  collected  their  fee  of  2d.,  and  some  did  not. 

When  letters  were  sent  from  one  Way  Office  to  another — 
as  was  frequently  the  case,  since  often  there  were  several  Way 
Offices  in  succession — a  fresh  fee  was  charged ;  and  a  letter 
might  be  charged  four  or  five  twopenny  fees  and  no  postage, 
the  fees  all  being  appropriated  by  the  Way  Office  keepers 
and  nothing  finding  its  way  to  the  Post  Office  revenue. 
Indeed,  the  Post  Office  department  received  scarcely  any 
revenue  from  the  Way  Offices,  and  no  sort  of  control  over 
them  was  even  attempted. 

The  House  of  Assembly  was  in  the  habit  of  establishing 
post  routes,  and  of  voting  increases  in  the  salaries  of  existing 
couriers,  the  resulting  expense  of  which  was  to  be  paid  by 
the  Post  Office.  The  action  of  the  Legislature  was  often 
taken  on  the  presentation  of  memorials  from  persons  inter- 
ested, or  on  the  initiative  of  a  member  specially  interested 


LETTER  POST  IN  CANADA  51 

in  Post  Office  matters  with  some  axe  to  grind.  The  Legis- 
lature would  vote,  say,  ^610  or  £20,  for  a  courier  to  some 
remote  place,  for  which  the  number  of  letters  was  negligible 
— perhaps  a  dozen  in  a  year,  perhaps  two  a  week  and  a  few 
newspapers.  The  resolution  of  the  House  would  then  be 
forwarded  to  the  Postmaster-General,  who  by  virtue  of  his 
delegated  authority  established  the  route,  the  cost  over  and 
above  the  amount  voted  by  the  House  being  drawn  from 
Post  Office  funds.  The  whole  system  was  permeated  with 
jobbery,  and  the  House  used  to  become  more  than  usually 
active  in  these  matters  as  the  elections  approached.  In  Cape 
Breton,  in  1841,  the  expenses  of  the  couriers  amounted  to 
some  £604,  and  the  revenue,  after  deducting  the  commission 
of  the  three  postmasters  in  the  island,  was  some  £308 — the 
explanation  being  that  the  member  for  the  island  was  one 
of  the  leaders  in  Post  Office  matters  in  the  Legislature. 

Internal    correspondence    was   at    this    time   literally   non- 
existent, many   of   the   couriers   conveying   only  newspapers 
(which  in  general  went  free),  and  fee  letters  (that  is,  letters 
charged   only    with    the    Way   Office   keeper's    fee,    and    no 
postage).     Except    in   five    towns    (HaHfax,   Yarmouth,   and 
Picton  in  Nova  Scotia ;  and  St.  John  and  Fredericton  in  New 
Brunswick)  there  was  no  provision  for  the  delivery  of  letters 
except  at  the  post  office  window.     In  those  towns,  delivery  was 
made  in  the  first  instance  at  the  post  office,  but  all  letters 
which  were  not  called  for  within  a  short  time  after  the  arrival 
of  the  mail,  were  sent  out  for  delivery  throughout  the  town 
by  letter  carrier.     An  additional  charge  of  Id.  per  letter  was 
made  by  the  carrier,  and  retained  by  him  as  his  remuneration. 
In   some   cases    Id.   was    charged   also    for    the    delivery   of 
newspapers  ;   in  others  this  penny  was  charged   only  where 
the  receivers  could  be  induced  to  pay ;  and  in  some  cases  news- 
papers were  delivered   free.     At   Halifax   two   letter   carriers 
were  employed,  and  their  total  weekly  earnings  were  estimated 
at   £4  10s.,  indicating   1,080   as,   approximately,   the  weekly 
number  of  letters  and  newspapers  received.     At   Fredericton 
a  charge   of   Id.  was   made   on   letters  and   on   newspapers, 
but   the   amount   was  taken  by  the  postmaster,  who  paid  a 
weekly  wage  to  the  carrier.     The  postmaster    estimated  his 
annual  receipt  at  about  £19  10s.,  corresponding  with  a  weekly 


52  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

average  of  90  letters  and  newspapers  delivered  in  Fredericton. 
He  paid  the  carrier  £14:  10s.  per  annum. 

Up  to  1827  there  were  no  internal  posts  in  Prince  Edward 
Island.  The  only  post  office  in  the  province  was  at  Charlotte- 
town.  In  1827  the  Legislature  resolved  to  establish  an 
inland  service,  and  appointed  couriers  to  travel  weekly  for 
the  conveyance  of  letters.  Way  Office  keepers  were  also 
nominated  at  various  places.  A  uniform  rate  of  2d.  for  single 
letters,  and  Jd.  for  newspapers  published  in  the  island,  was 
fixed  for  transmission  within  the  island,  and,  in  consideration 
of  the  whole  expense  being  borne  by  the  Provincial  Treasury, 
the  Deputy  Postmaster-General  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New 
Brunswick  agreed  to  the  retention  by  the  province  of  the 
net  revenue.  The  Way  Office  keepers  received  as  their  re- 
muneration 20  per  cent,  on  the  postage  collected,  with  the 
privilege  of  franking  for  transmission  within  the  island.  The 
province  made  a  small  grant,  at  first  ^620  per  annum  and 
later  ^30,  in  aid  of  the  administration  of  the  posts. 

The  first  wish  of  the  Home  authorities  was  to  bring  the 
expenditure  within  the  revenue,  and  after  he  had  been  in  the 
colony  some  two  months  Mr.  Page  submitted  a  scheme 
which  should  remove  the  deficit  in  Nova  Scotia,  then  over 
£1,000  a  year.^  This  scheme,  which  was  not  lacking  in 
boldness,  proposed  the  discontinuance  of  no  less  than  twenty- 
four  couriers,  and  reduction  of  the  frequency  of  the  mail  in 
two  other  cases,  involving  towns  of  some  importance. 

On  the  6th  July  1843  the  Post  Office  of  New  Brunswick 
was  separated  from  that  of  Nova  Scotia  and  a  large  number 
of  services  abolished.  Following  on  these  drastic  measures, 
the  New  Brunswick  Legislature,  in  1844,  adopted  a  joint 
Address  to  his  Majesty,  praying  for  redress.  They  asked 
for  a  reduction  of  letter  rates,  for  the  abolition  of  news- 
paper rates,  and  for  the  application  of  all  surplus  revenue 
to  the  extension  of  facilities  for  inter-provincial  communica- 
tion, adding  that  in  consideration  of  the  introduction  of  these 
changes  the  Legislature  would  guarantee  to  provide  such  sums 
as  might  from  time  to  time  be  necessary  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  the  department.  The  reply  of  the  Colonial  Office  was  that 
the  prayer  of  the  petition  could  not  be  granted,  since  other 
»  W.  J.  Page,  Report  of  1st  October  1842  {British  Oj^icial  Records), 


LETTER  POST  IN  CANADA  53 

provinees  were  involved ;  but  that,  so  long  as  the  province 
guaranteed  the  charges,  the  proposal  as  regards  newspapers, 
taken  by  itself,  was  unobjectionable. 

The  Home  authorities,  seeing  that  in  Nova  Scotia  and 
New  Brunswick  the  service  still  showed  a  deficit  year  by 
year,  remained  indisposed  to  introduce  reduced  rates ;  but 
when  Lord  Clanricarde  was  appointed  Postmaster-General 
there  was  a  change  of  policy.  Lord  Clanricarde  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  time  was  ripe  for  a  reduction  of  rates  in 
British  North  America,  although  he  was  convinced  that  such 
a  reduction  would  entail  heavy  postal  deficits  in  all  the 
provinces.  It  would  be  for  the  provincial  Legislatures  to 
make  good  these  deficits,  and  he  concluded  it  was  therefore 
expedient  that  the  full  control  of  the  service  should  be  handed 
over  to  the  provincial  authorities,  subject  to  certain  conditions 
imposed  with  the  view  of  preventing  friction  between  the 
provinces  over  the  transit  across  the  sea-board  provinces  of 
mails  for  or  from  the  interior. 

Lord  Elgin,  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies,  suggested 
to  the  Governor- General  ^  that  one  or  two  members  of  the 
Executive  Councils  of  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  Prince  Edward  Island  should  meet  at  Montreal 
to  discuss  the  question  and  mature  a  plan,  which  could  be 
submitted  to  the  respective  Legislatures,  for  the  assumption 
by  the  provinces  of  the  administration  of  the  Post  Ofiice. 
A  conference  was  arranged,  and  a  plan  for  the  establishment 
of  a  uniform  system  throughout  the  British  North  American 
Colonies  elaborated. 

The  conference  made  clear  that  in  the  repeated  remon- 
strances against  the  **  transfer  of  assumed  surplus  receipts" 
to  the  revenue  of  the  British  office  there  was  no  desire  on 
the  part  of  the  provinces  to  make  the  Post  Office  a  source 
of  revenue,  or,  indeed,  to  call  into  question  the  prudent 
management  of  the  Imperial  Government ;  but  that  the 
remonstrances  were  prompted  by  a  growing  conviction  of 
the  great  importance  of  an  efficient  postal  system  as  a  factor 
in  their  social  and  commercial  welfare,  and  as  "  a  means  in 
a  new  country  of  extending  civilization."  The  provinces 
were  impressed  by  the  great  social  and  moral  benefits  which 
»  Despatch  of  28th  August  1847. 


54  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

had  followed  the  introduction  of  cheap  postage  in  the  Mothet 
Country,  and  were  anxious  to  extend  to  their  own  land 
the  benefits  of  the  system,  which  had  already  been  introduced 
by  their  great  neighbour.  The  delegates  were  satisfied  that 
the  most  suitable  rate  would  be  3d.  the  half  ounce,  uniform, 
irrespective  of  distance ;  but,  thinking  it  likely  that  some 
of  the  provinces  might  be  unwilling  entirely  to  disregard 
distance,  they  recommended  that  an  option  be  suggested  for 
any  province  that  wished  so  to  do  to  charge  double  rates 
for  distances  greater  than  300  miles.  They  recommended 
the  establishment  throughout  British  North  America  of  a 
uniform  system  and  rate  of  postage,  with  as  little  local 
modification  as  the  circumstances  of  the  various  provinces 
might  demand.  But  for  two  main  reasons  they  were  opposed 
to  a  common  administration :  (1)  they  considered  that  the  con- 
trol by  each  province  of  its  postal  establishment  would  be 
a  powerful  aid  to  economy  in  administration,  would  prevent 
imprudent  extensions  of  postal  accommodation,  and  would 
prevent  also  any  feeling  of  jealousy  between  the  provinces 
with  regard  to  the  application  of  the  funds  of  the  establish- 
ment to  the  extension  of  services  in  the  respective  provinces ; 
(2)  they  thought  the  various  provinces  would  be  more  likely 
to  accept  a  system  under  local  control,  each  province  defray- 
ing the  entire  cost  of  its  service,  and  retaining  all  postage 
collected  within  its  limits,  whether  prepaid  or  post-paid. ^ 

The  Home  authorities  accepted  the  recommendations  of 
the  conference,  subject  to  a  few  slight  modifications  in  non- 
essentials, and  an  Act,  passed  in  1849,  authorized  provincial 
Legislatures  to  establish  posts  within  their  respective  terri- 
tories, but  gave  them  no  authority  over  the  posts  between 
the  colonies  and  places  abroad.^ 

The  transfer  of  the  Post  Office  systems  to  the  provincial 
Governments  was  accomplished  in  1851. 

Delegates  from  all  the  colonies  met  to  consider  the  arrange- 
ments to  be  made  for  conducting  the  office  under  the  new 
conditions.  With  the  example  of  England  before  them,  as 
before  the  world,  the  delegates  were  anxious  for  a  uniform 
rate,   and  for  a  low  uniform  rate.     They  realized,  however, 

^  Report  of  a  Committee  of  the  Executive  Council  of  Canada  on  the  Post  Office, 
10th  June  1848.  =  12  &  13  Vict.,  cap.  66. 


LETTER  POST  IN   CANADA  55 

that  conditions  vastly  different  from  those  prevailing  in 
England  prevailed  in  British  North  America.  With  their 
great  distances  and  their  thinly  settled  districts,  with  the 
rigours  of  the  American  climate  and  the  generally  poor  state 
of  the  roads,  it  could  not  be  anticipated  that  rates  which  had 
been  found  successful  in  England,  with  its  comparatively  small 
area  and  dense  population,  with  its  less  difficult  climate  and 
its  better  facilities  for  intercommunication,  would  prove  equally 
successful.  In  the  end  a  compromise  was  adopted — uniformity 
of  rate,  but  a  rate  moderately  high,  viz.  5  cents. ^ 

A  period  of  great  development  ensued,  especially  in  the 
Maritime  Provinces.  Under  the  stimulus  of  the  reduction 
of  the  rate  to  the  new  uniform  charge  of  5  cents  per  J  ounce, 
in  place  of  a  charge  graduated  by  distance  which  had 
averaged  over  8d.  a  letter,  the  number  of  letters  increased 
so  rapidly  that  in  four  years  the  gross  revenue  had  recovered 
its  former  level.  ^  But  in  both  Nova  Scotia  and  New 
Brunswick  the  account  regularly  showed  a  heavy  deficit,  in 
partial  explanation  of  which  there  was  the  fact  that  both 
Governments  carried  newspapers  in  the  mails  free  of  charge. 
In  Canada,  with  a  larger  number  of  commercial  communities, 
the  results  were  somewhat  better.  But  even  there  the  accounts 
showed  a  deficit  until  1859.  From  that  year  there  was  an 
annual  surplus  until  1865,  when  the  heavy  charges  for  con- 
veyance of  the  mails  by  railway  began  to  tell. 

These  conditions  continued  until  the  confederation  of  the 
British  North  American  Colonies  in  1867.  The  control  of 
the  Post  Office  was  within  the  powers  assigned  to  the 
new  Dominion  Government.  The  Government  was  desirous 
of  not  falling  behind  other  countries  in  the  provision  of 
Post  Office  services,  and  it  was  necessary  for  political 
reasons  to  take  advantage  of  every  available  means  for 
facilitating  intercommunication  between  the  different  parts 
of  the  Dominion.  Shortly  after  confederation,  therefore,  a 
Bill  to  establish  and  regulate  a  Federal  Dominion  Post 
Office  was  brought  before  the  Dominion  Parliament. 

A  reduction  of   the  letter  rate  of  postage  from  5  cents  to 

'  Correspondence  on  the  Subject  of  the  Establishment  of  a  General  Post  Office 
System  in  British  North  America,  Montreal,  27th  February  1849. 
^  In  1851,  $3G2,065 ;  in  1852,  $230,629 ;  in  1855,  »3G8,16G. 


66  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

3  cents  per  J  ounce  was  proposed,  and  a  rate  of  postage 
on  newspapers.  In  some  of  the  provinces  newspapers  had 
previously  been  carried  by  the  posts  free  of  charge ;  and  the 
establishment  of  a  rate  of  postage  for  them  was  to  some  extent 
bound  up  with  the  reduction  of  the  letter  rate,  since  with 
the  lower  rate  for  letters  the  free  transmission  of  newspapers 
would  have  proved  so  great  a  strain  on  the  revenue,  that 
either  the  Government  would  have  been  compelled  to  make 
larger  grants  in  aid,  or  services  would  have  to  be  withheld 
in  districts  where  it  was  desirable  they  should  be  provided. 
Some  members  were  disposed  to  think  the  better  course 
would  have  been  to  retain  the  old  rate  for  letters  and  to 
allow  newspapers  to  pass  free,  as  had  long  been  the  practice 
in  the  Lower  Provinces ;  and  the  imposition  of  a  rate  on 
newspapers  was  characterized  as  a  tax  on  the  dissemination 
of  public  intelligence  and  a  retrogressive  step  towards  old 
and  exploded  abuses.' 

Other  members  desired  to  follow  the  English  example  and 
reduce  the  letter  rate  to  2  cents,  the  equivalent  of  a  penny ; 
but  this  was  deemed  impracticable  on  account  of  the  different 
conditions  under  which  the  Post  Office  was  conducted  in 
Canada,  where  the  mails  were  carried  very  long  distances 
through  a  sparse  population.^  In  the  United  States,  where 
the  circumstances  were  more  nearly  comparable,  the  rate  was 
still  3  cents.  With  a  rate  of  3  cents  in  Canada,  as  proposed, 
it  was  anticipated  that  there  would  be  a  considerable  deficit, 
but  that  the  deficit  would  soon  disappear.3  It  was  alleged 
that  there  was  no  demand  for  a  reduction  and  that  every- 
body was  willing  to  pay  5  cents ;  but  the  real  objection  was 
not  to  a  reduction  in  the  letter  rate  per  se.  The  objection 
arose  from  the  assumption,  fairly  well  grounded,  that  the 
reduction  was  only  possible  if  accompanied  by  the  establish- 
ment of  a  postage   on   newspapers,  to  which   a  number  of 

*  ♦•  He  would,  were  it  necessary  for  the  revenue,  prefer  to  retain  the  existing 
letter  rate  than  to  extend  through  the  Dominion  this  newspaper  impost, 
unknown  in  the  Maritime  Provinces  before."— Hon.  Dr.  Tupper,  Pari.  Debates 
{Canada),  House  of  Commons,  20th  December  1867. 

'  Hon.  Mr.  Campbell,  Ibid.,  Senate,  3rd  December  1867. 

3  •«  The  Postal  service  should  be  expected  to  yield  a  revenue  ;  but  the  service 
should  be  performed  as  low  as  possible,  and  if  it  paid  its  way  that  was  all 
that  need  be  desired."— Hon.  Mr.  Campbell,  Ibid. 


LETTER  POST  IN  CANADA  57 

members  were  strongly  opposed.  The  rate  of  3  cents  for 
J-ounce  letters  was,  however,  adopted.  In  three  years  the 
yield  of  postage  at  3  cents  surpassed  the  former  yield  at 
5  cents. ^ 

In  1898  a  Bill  for  modifying  rates  of  postage  was  introduced. 
The  main  propositions  of  the  Bill  were  (1)  to  reduce  the  letter 
rate  to  2  cents  per  ounce,  and  (2)  to  impose  a  postage  on 
newspapers.  Since  1867  there  had  been  several  changes  in 
newspaper  postage,  and  for  about  nineteen  years  newspapers 
had  been  passing  through  the  post  in  Canada  free  of  any 
charge  for  postage.^  The  postal  service  was  at  this  time  being 
carried  on  at  some  loss  to  the  general  Dominion  revenue, 
and,  as  in  1867,  the  proposal  to  charge  postage  on  newspapers 
was  made  to  counterbalance  any  loss  of  revenue  which  might 
result  from  the  reduction  in  the  letter  rate  of  postage.  It 
was  hoped  that  with  this  counterbalance  any  such  loss  would 
soon  be  made  good,  and  that,  indeed,  the  Post  Ofifice  w^ould 
become  a  self-sustaining  department. 3 

The  arguments  in  Parliament  were  almost  identical  with 
those  of  1867,  when  the  previous  similar  proposals  as  regards 
the  letter  and  newspaper  rates  were  before  it.  Stress  was, 
however,  now  laid  on  the  contention  that  letter-writing  was 
the  pursuit  of  the  wealthy,  and  of  business  and  commercial 
men,  who  were  well  able  to  pay  for  their  correspondence, 
while  the  newspapers  were  sent  mainly  to  the  farmers  of  the 
country,  who  wrote  few  letters.  The  Government  were 
proposing  at  this  time  to  raise  a  million  dollars  by  a  tax  on 
sugar,  a  course  denounced  as  an  imposition  by  the  Govern- 
ment on  the  poorer  classes,  to  whom  sugar  is  a  necessity, 
while  the  reduction  of  postage  would  present  the  wealthier 
classes  with  some  $650,000  a  year.4 

The  reduction  was  carried,  and  the  2-cent  rate  has  proved 
successful.  The  gross  revenue  recovered  within  four  years. s 
The   number  of   letters  has  largely  increased,  especially  in 

•  The  revenue  in  1868  was  «1, 024, 702,  and  in  1871,  $1,079,768.  In  1889  the 
rate  was  made  3  cents  per  ounce. 

^  See  infra,  p.  143. 

3  Sir  W.  Mulock,  Pari.  Debates  (Canada),  House  of  Commons,  Ist  April  1898 
[Official  Reports,  vol.  xlvi.). 

*•  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  Ibid.,  13th  May  1898. 

5  In  1898,  »3,527,810 :  in  1902,  #3,888,126. 


58  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

recent  years,  largely,  no  doubt,  in  consequence  of  the  growing 
commercial  prosperity.  The  total  number,  which  in  1876  was 
some  41  millions,  had  in  1913  increased  to  633  millions.  The 
financial  result  has  also  proved  satisfactory.  The  Post  Office 
service  in  Canada  as  a  whole  in  1913  showed  a  profit  of  some 
$1,200,000,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  greater  part  of 
this  profit  was  derived  from  letters. 

Note. — In  1915  a  war-tax  of  Jd.  was  imposed  on  all  letters  and  postcards. 
On  the  assumption  that  the  numbers  posted  would  not  be  appreciably  diminished, 
the  increase  of  revenue  was  estimated  at  ^G,000,000  a  year,  and  this  estimate 
has  been  realized. 


LETTER    POST    IN    THE    UNITED    STATES 
OF    AMERICA 

The  New  England  colonies  had  not  been  long  established 
when  the  pubHc  authorities  first  took  cognizance  of  the 
arrangements  for  the  distribution  of  letters.  In  1639  the 
general  court  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  colony  made  an 
order  for  the  establishment  of  a  service  in  respect  of  letters 
for  or  from  places  abroad.  A  house-to-house  delivery  of 
letters  received  from  abroad  at  the  low  uniform  rate  of  Id. 
would  seem  to  have  been  contemplated.^  At  various  intervals 
during  the  latter  half  of  the  century,  Post  Offices  were  estab- 
lished in  most  of  the  other  colonies — in  Virginia  in  1657,  in 
New  York  in  1672,  in  Connecticut  in  1674,  in  Philadelphia 
in  1685,  and  in  New  Hampshire  in  1693. ^  These  Post  Offices 
were  set  up  in  the  various  colonies  by  legal  enactment,  but 
they  were  in  general  local  and  municipal  in  character.  In 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  they  could  at  that  time  hardly 
have  been  otherwise.  The  colonies  were  independent  of  each 
other  in  administrative  matters,  and  seldom  acted  together 
for  any  purpose.  The  population  relatively  to  the  extent  of 
the  colonies  was  extremely  small,  the  settlements  were 
scattered,  and  the  roads  were  mere  trails.3  In  general  there 
was  very  little  intercourse  between  the  various  colonies.    Such 

*  "It  18  ordered  that  notice  be  given  that  Richard  Fairbanks  his  house  in 
Boston  i3  the  place  appointed  for  all  letters  which  are  brought  from  beyond  the 
seas  or  are  to  be  sent  thither  to  be  left  with  him,  and  he  is  to  take  care  that 
they  are  to  be  delivered  or  sent  according  to  the  directions  ;  and  he  is  allowed 
for  every  letter  a  penny,  and  must  answer  all  miscarriages  through  his  own 
negligence  in  this  kind." 

»  Stanley  I.  Slack,  A  Brief  History  of  the  Postal  Service,  Omaha. 

3  M.  E.  Woolley,  Early  History  of  the  Colonial  Post  Office,  Providence,  R.I., 
1894,  p.  6. 


60  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

intercommunication  as  was  carried  on  usually  went  by  means 
of  coastwise  vessels  or  by  occasional  travellers.  The  one 
exception  was  a  post  route  from  New  York  to  Boston,  estab- 
lished in  1672  to  go  monthly.  The  system  established  in 
Virginia  in  1657  was  of  a  primitive  character,  being  merely 
a  requirement  that  every  planter  should  furnish  a  messenger 
to  convey  the  mail  to  the  next  plantation,  under  penalty  of 
forfeiting  a  hogshead  of  tobacco  in  default. 

In  1688,  by  an  Order  in  Council,  the  establishment  of  a 
Post  Office  in  Jamaica,  and  such  other  of  his  Majesty's  planta- 
tions in  America  "as  shall  be  found  convenient,"  was  author- 
ized. On  the  17th  February  1692  the  Crown  granted  a  patent 
to  Thomas  Neale  (then  Master  of  the  Mint)  vesting  in  him 
the  American  post,  with  full  power  and  authority  to  erect 
post  offices  in  the  chief  parts  of  the  American  colonies  "  for 
the  receiving  and  despatching  of  letters  and  pacquets,  and  to 
receive,  send,  and  deliver  the  same  under  such  rates  and 
sums  of  money  as  the  planters  shall  agree  to  give."  It 
was  no  light  matter  to  obtain  the  acquiescence  of  all  the 
colonies  in  the  exercise  of  general  rights  as  regards  the  Post 
Office  in  North  America,  especially  as  they  had  previously 
been  free  to  make  their  own  arrangements  in  this  respect. 
Neale  was  himself  never  in  North  America,  but  his  deputy 
there,  Andrew  Hamilton,  who  was  a  very  capable  man,  was 
able  not  only  to  secure  the  acceptance  by  the  colonies  of  a 
general  postal  system  under  Neale's  patent,  but  to  obtain  from 
some  of  them  small  grants  in  aid. 

Most  of  the  colonies  passed  Acts  authorizing  the  establish- 
ment of  Post  Offices  under  the  provisions  of  the  patent; 
and  the  principle  of  postal  monopoly  was  introduced  in  these 
enactments.^  The  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  authorized  a 
Post  Office  in  the  colony,  believing  such  an  office  to  be 
of  "generall  concernement  and  of  great  advantage  for  the 
increase  and  preservation  of  trade  and  commerce  therein,  for 

'  New  York,  in  1692,  enacted  that  any  persons  or  body  politic  or  corporate 
other  than  the  Postmaster- General  presuming  to  **  carry,  re-carry,  or  deliver 
letters  for  hire,  or  to  set  up  or  imploy  any  foot-post,  horse-post,  or  pacquet-boat 
whatsoever  "  for  the  carrying  of  letters  or  packets  should  forfeit  £100  ;  and  the 
Act  of  New  Hampshire,  passed  in  1693,  provided  that  no  person  or  persons 
whatsoever  should  carry  letters  for  hire,  "except  letters  sent  by  private  friend 
or  by  any  messenger  for  or  concerning  the  private  affaires  of  any  person." 


LETTER   POST  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES       61 

thereby  speedy  and  safe  despatch  may  be  had."  '     The  rates 
of  postage  were  as  follows : — 


Every  letter 
not  exceeding 
one  sheet 

For  distance  not 
exceeding  80 
English  miles 

3d. 

Ditto  two  sheets 

»> 

6d. 

Every  pacquet 
of  writs  and 
deeds 

>> 

12d.  per  ounce 
weight. 

Every  letter 
not  exceeding 
one  sheet 

Above  distance 
of  80  English 
miles 

did. 

Ditto  two  sheets 

>i 

9d. 

Every  pacquet 
of  writs  and 
deeds 

*t 

18d.  per  ounce. 

The  rates  established  in  the  other  colonies  were  similar  but 
not  identical. 

The  new  postal  service  under  the  authority  of  the  patent 
was  commenced  on  the  1st  May  1693.  A  post  was  set  up 
from  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  to  Boston,  Say  brook,  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Maryland,  and  Virginia.  Five  stages  were 
fixed,  and  a  rider  was  appointed  to  each  stage.  In  summer 
the  service  was  performed  weekly,  and  in  winter  fortnightly. 
At  the  commencement,  as  may  be  readily  understood,  the 
conditions  were  somewhat  difficult.^  But  with  the  growth  of 
population  and  commerce,  conditions  improved.  The  service 
to  the  South  was  for  many  years  subject  to  general  irregu- 
larity and  temporary  suspension,  especially  at  times  of  flood. 

The  Post  Office  in  America  has  from  its  first  establishment 
as  a  general  system,  as  distinguished  from  the  merely  local 
or  municipal  posts,  had  to  reckon  with  two  factors  which 
have  been  of  great  importance  in  relation  to  all  the  main 
services — a  vast  extent  of  territory  and  a  sparse  population. 
The  rates  were  higher  than  those  in  operation  in  England, 

»  Preamble  of  Act  (1st  April  1693). 

»  '*  The  mail  carriers  rode  through  the  wilderness  in  this  year  of  the 
beginning,"— Stanley  I,  Slack,  A  Brief  History  of  tlie  Postal  Service,  Omaha, 
p.  11, 


62  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

but  at  first,  and  for  many  years,  the  revenue  was  insufficient 
to  defray  the  expenses.  The  finance  of  the  American  Post 
Office  consequently  differed  fundamentally  from  that  of  the 
Enghsh  office. 

Neale  was  required  by  the  terms  of  his  patent  to  render 
an  account  at  the  end  of  three  years  of  the  receipts  and 
expenditures  of  the  American  post.  His  first  account  was  not, 
however,  rendered  until  1698.  It  showed  that  the  expenses 
up  to  May  1697  were  ^3,817,  and  the  receipts  ^61,457,  there 
being  thus  a  loss  of  d92,360.  The  account  was  accompanied 
by  a  statement  prepared  by  Hamilton,  explaining  the  great 
advantages  to  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the  colonies,  as 
well  as  to  their  security,  which  the  Post  Office  provided ; 
showing  how  necessary  in  consequence  was  the  continuance 
of  the  office,  and  recommending  that  definite  rates  of  postage 
for  the  whole  territory  be  fixed  by  statute.  Other  regulations 
for  the  conduct  of  the  system  were  also  suggested,  as  the 
existing  arrangement,  involving  such  serious  loss  to  the 
patentee,  could  not  be  continued  indefinitely.  Neale  contented 
himself  with  a  brief  remark  to  the  effect  that  whenever  his 
Majesty  should  see  fit  to  take  the  conduct  of  the  posts  into 
his  own  hands,  he  (Neale)  would  be  glad  to  surrender  his 
patent — of  course,  for  a  consideration.' 

The  Postmasters-General  opposed  the  suggested  increase 
of  rates  on  general  grounds,  their  experience  having  taught 
them  that  **  the  easy  and  cheap  corresponding  doth  encourage 
people  to  write  letters,  and  that  this  revenue  was  but  little 
in  proportion  to  what  it  is  now,  till  the  postage  of  letters 
was  reduced  from  sixpence  to  threepence." 

Neale  died  shortly  afterwards,  and  his  rights  in  the  patent 
were  transferred  to  his  creditors,  who  were  Hamilton  himself 
and  an  Enghshman  named  West.  Hamilton  died  in  1708, 
and  his  widow  carried  on  the  posts  for  some  two  or  three 
years.  In  1706  she  and  West  endeavoured  to  obtain  an 
extension  of  the  term  of  the  patent ;  so  that,  although  the 
posts  had  been  conducted  for  some  years  at  heavy  loss,  both 
by  Hamilton  and  by  his  widow,  the  conditions  had  improved, 
and  there  was  now  reasonable  anticipation  of  a  profit  from 
the  office.     The  view  of  the  Postmasters-General,  however, 

^  See  infra^  Appendix  B,  pp.  391  fi. 


LETTER  POST  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES       63 

ultimately  prevailed,  and  in  1707  the  patent  was  bought  back 
for  the  Crown  for  the  sum  of  i91,664.  When,  a  few  years 
later,  a  general  Act  of  Parliament  was  found  necessary,  the 
opportunity  was  taken  to  place  the  American  posts  on  a 
definite  statutory  footing.^ 

The  preamble  recites  that  posts  had  at  great  charges  been 
established  on  the  mainland  of  North  America  through  most 
of  her  Majesty's  plantations  and  colonies,  and  the  Postmasters- 
General  were  authorized  to  establish  a  "  Chief  Letter  Office  " 
in  New  York,  and  other  chief  offices  at  some  convenient 
place  or  places  in  each  of  the  colonies  in  America,  and  to 
appoint  deputies  for  the  "  better  managing,  ordering,  collect- 
ing, and  improving  the  Revenue  "  granted  by  the  Act.  Rates 
for  the  transmission  of  letters  between  England  and  America 
were  fixed,  and  detailed  rates  for  transmission  between  specific 
towns  within  the  North  American  colonies.  The  rates  between 
London  and  America  were  Is.  for  a  single  letter,  2s.  for  a 
double  letter,  and  so  on.  For  transmission  within  the  colonies 
the  rates  were,  broadly,  for  distances  under  60  miles,  4d.  the 
single  letter,  8d.  the  double  letter,  and  so  on ;  distances  under 
100  miles,  for  a  single  letter  6d.,  and  so  in  proportion  for 
double  and  treble  and  ounce  letters. 

These  rates  were,  in  general,  higher  than  those  which  had 
been  fixed  by  the  colonies  under  the  Neale  patent,  but  for 
several  years  they  did  not  produce  sufficient  revenue  to  meet 
expenses.  In  1722  the  Postmasters-General  were  for  the  first 
time  able  to  say  that  in  the  future  the  Post  Office  in  North 
America,  even  if  it  yielded  no  net  revenue,  would  no  longer 
involve  a  charge,  and  there  was  a  good  prospect  of  a  profit. 
The  Act  of  1765  provided  rates  for  the  longer  distances  and 
made  a  general  reduction  of  nearly  30  per  cent.  The  rates  now 
became,  for  a  single  letter,  for  conveyance  for  any  distance  not 
exceeding  60  miles,  4d. ;  from  60  to  100  miles,  6d. ;  from  100 
to  200  miles,  8d. ;  for  each  additional  100  miles,  2d.2  In  the 
intervening  period  the  chief  events  had  been  the  appointment 
of  Benjamin  Frankhn,  in  1737,  to  be  Postmaster  of  Phila- 
delphia, and  in   1753,    to    be   joint    Postmaster-General   for 

'  "An    Act    for    establishing  a  General  Post    OflBce  for  all   her  Majesty's 
Dominions"  (9  Anne,  cap.  10). 
'  5  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25.     See  supra,  pp.  38-9. 


64  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

British  North  America,  and  the  acquisition  of  Canada  in 
1763.  The  latter  event  had,  indeed,  been  one  of  the  reasons 
assigned  for  the  passing  of  the  Act  of  1765. ^ 

Under  Andrew  Hamilton  the  posts  had  run  only  along  the 
coast,  the  great  main  route  extending  from  Portsmouth,  N.H., 
through  Boston  and  New  York  to  Maryland  and  Virginia. 
Under  his  son,  John  Hamilton,  who  succeeded  him  in  the 
office,  the  posts  were  pushed  inland  as  occasion  offered  or 
circumstances  demanded,  and  for  these  extensions  John 
Hamilton  adopted  the  principle  of  establishing  routes  in 
those  cases  where  the  postage  was  sufficient  to  maintain 
them.  On  such  a  basis  the  system  could  not,  however,  be 
very  largely  developed.  The  circumstances  of  the  country 
made  any  great  extension  impossible,  and  in  1766  the  posts 
still  went  mainly  along  the  sea  coasts.^ 

Franklin  was  dismissed  in  1774.  The  Crown  Post  Office 
was  continued  in  North  America,  but  about  this  time  a 
competing  system  arose.  For  some  years  there  had  been 
friction  in  the  colonies  between  the  authorities  and  the 
publishers  of  newspapers.  The  anomalous  English  system 
of  the  distribution  of  newspapers  free  by  post  by  certain 
favoured  individuals  had  been  introduced  in  America.  The 
favoured  officials  were  the  American  Postmasters-GeneraJ , 
and  for  that  reason  the  office  was  much  sought  after  by 
publishers.  Both  Franklin  and  Hunter,  who  were  joint 
Postmasters- General  (Franklin  from  1753  to  1774,  and  Hunter 

'  Cf.  supra,  p.  38. 

'  Evidence  of  Benjamin  Franklin  before  House  of  Commons  Committee,  28th 
January  1766.  The  Committee  were,  of  course,smost  anxious  on  points  having 
relation  to  the  taxation  of  the  colonies  by  the  English  Parliament,  and 
Dr.  Franklin  was  asked  questions  directed  to  discovering  whether  the  colonists 
regarded  postage,  which  was  fixed  by  Act  of  the  British  Parliament,  and  had 
been  newly  fixed  by  such  Act  in  the  previous  year  (5  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25),  as  a 
tax.  On  this  point  Dr.  Franklin  emphatically  held  that  the  postage  paid  on 
a  letter  was  not  of  the  nature  of  a  tax,  but  that  it  was  simply  payment  for 
service  performed ;  and,  moreover,  the  payment  of  postage  was  not  compulsory, 
since  a  man  might  still,  as  before  the  passing  of  the  Act,  send  his  letter  by  a 
servant,  a  special  messenger,  or  a  friend,  if  he  thought  it  cheaper  or  safer. 
Dr.  Franklin  said  that  every  Assembly  encouraged  the  Post  Ofiice  in  its  infancy 
by  grants  of  money ;  that  they  would  not  have  done  this  if  they  had  thought 
the  postage  charge  a  tax,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  system  was  always 
regarded  as  supplying  a  great  convenience  (W.  Cobbett,  Parliamentary  nistory 
of  England,  vol.  xvi.  cols.  137-160). 


LETTER   POST   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES       65 

from  1753  to  his  death  in  1761),  were  printers,  and  Franklin's 
dismissal  is  sometimes  attributed  to  a  desire  on  the  part  of 
the  British  Government  to  hamper  the  distribution  of  his 
publications,  and  so  restrict  their  influence.  Great  efforts 
were  at  this  time  made  by  the  Crown  authorities  in  America 
to  prevent  the  dissemination  of  ideas  contrary  to  the  British 
ascendancy.  As  early  as  1757  the  Governor  of  Penn- 
sylvania endeavoured  to  prevent  the  publication  of  improper 
intelligence  in  newspapers,  and  suggested  that  special  in- 
structions should  be  given  to  the  Postmasters-General.  The 
feeling  against  the  newspapers  grew  with  the  developments 
of  the  years  that  followed,  and  by  1774  much  trouble  was 
being  caused  by  the  Crown  Postmasters  to  the  publishers 
of  newspapers.  Many  were  toning  down  their  comments 
in  order  to  retain  the  privilege  of  free  transmission,  but 
some  began  to  look  for  other  means  of  distributing  their 
papers.  William  Goddard  of  Baltimore,  publisher  of  the 
Maryland  Journal,  suggested  the  establishment  of  "an 
Americaii  Post  Office  on  constitutional  principles,"  and  visited 
various  colonies  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1774  with 
the  object  of  enlisting  support  for  his  project.  He  received 
a  good  measure  of  approval,  and  on  the  30th  April  1774 
subscriptions  were  invited  from  the  public  towards  the 
establishment  of  an  American  Post  Office.  The  scheme  of 
this  Post  Office  was  that  subscriptions  should  be  invited 
for  its  establishment  and  maintenance,  and  "  for  the  neces- 
sary defence  of  post  officers  and  riders  employed  in  the 
same"  ;  and  that  the  subscribers  in  each  colony  should  appoint 
a  committee  from  among  themselves,  whose  business  should 
be  to  appoint  postmasters  at  places  where  offices  had  hitherto 
been  kept  or  might  be  judged  necessary,  "  and  to  regulate 
the  postage  of  letters  and  packets,  with  the  terms  on  which 
newspapers  are  to  be  carried." ' 

Meantime  the  committees  of  safety  and  the  Assemblies  of 
the  various  colonies  made  certain  provision  for  the  trans- 
mission of  mails,  both  within  and  between  the  colonies.     In 

'  Manifesto  to  the  American  People,  issued  by  Goddard,  2nd  July  1774.  Earlier 
in  the  manifesto  it  was  remarked  that  "newspapers,  those  necessary  and 
mportant  alarms  in  time  of  public  danger,  may  be  rendered  gf  lit>We  oonse^ueoee 
ifor  want  of  oirQuifttJoa/' 

6 


66  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

May  1775  the  New  York  Committee  appointed  a  sub-committee 
to  inquire  of  the  postmaster,  Mr.  Foxcroft,  the  reason  for 
the  recent  discharge  by  him  of  the  post  riders.  The  post- 
master's explanation  was  that  the  last  four  mails  between 
New  York  and  Boston  had  been  held  up  and  violated  on 
the  journey,  and  he  had  discharged  the  post  riders  on  the 
ground  that  it  was  no  longer  safe  to  send  them  with  mails. 
The  committee  thereupon  themselves  immediately  arranged  for 
the  despatch  of  mails  from  New  York,  and  a  few  days  later 
issued  a  notice  **to  acquaint  the  publick  that  a  constitutional 
Post  Office  is  now  rising  on  the  ruins  of  the  parliamentary  one." 
In  the  course  of  the  next  few  months  several  provincial 
congresses  passed  resolutions  establishing  Post  Offices  in 
the  respective  colonies.  Massachusetts  fixed  rates  of  postage 
at  5Jd.  for  a  single  letter  for  not  more  than  60  miles,  and 
increased  rates  for  greater  distances.  The  whole  matter  was 
at  the  same  time  under  the  consideration  of  the  Continental 
Congress  sitting  at  Philadelphia.  Goddard  had,  from  the 
first  establishment  of  the  constitutional  Post  Office,  expected 
Congress  to  assume  control.^  In  May,  Congress  appointed  a 
committee  to  consider  the  matter,  and  on  the  26th  July, 
having  received  the  committee's  report,  agreed  to  resolutions 
providing  for  the  establishment  of  a  Post  Office.  Benjamin 
Franklin,  who  had  been  a  member  of  the  committee,  was 
unanimously  chosen  to  be  the  first  Postmaster-General.  It 
was  provided  that  the  remuneration  of  the  deputies  should, 
in  general,  be  20  per  cent,  on  the  sums  they  collected,  the 
rate  which  had  usually  been  paid  under  the  parliamentary 
system.2  Postage  of  letters  was  to  be  20  per  cent,  less  than 
those  appointed  by  Act  of  Parliament.  It  was  feared  that 
such  rates  would  prove  too  low,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  office 
be  insufficient  to  support  the  necessary  riders ;  and  as  people 
were  in  general  well  satisfied  with  the  rates  lately  paid,  or 
at  least  had  made  no  complaints  regarding  them,  the  lowering 
of  the  rates  was  deferre'd.3 

»  "It  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  that  the  institution  will  be  properly  regulated 
by  the  Continental  Congress." — Manifesto  to  the  American  People,  8th  May  1774. 

=  Journals  of  the  Continental  Congress,  1774-1789,  pub.  Washington,  1904, 
vol.  ii.  p.  208. 

3  Resolution  of  30th  September  1770.    Xbid.,  vol.  iii.  p.  267. 


LETTER   POST  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES       67 

The  parliamentary  post  continued  for  some  years,  con- 
currently with  the  constitutional  post,  as  the  new  independent 
Post  Office  was  called.  On  the  7th  October  1775  a  debate 
arose  in  Congress  as  to  the  expediency  of  stopping  the 
*'  parliamentary  or  ministerial  posts."  The  stopping  of  the 
post  was  desired  chiefly  as  a  means  for  hindering  the  corre- 
spondence of  their  enemies.  Inaction  in  the  matter  was 
advocated  by  some  who  professed  to  find  the  royal  post 
of  great  convenience;  and  by  others  who,  although  desirous 
of  seeing  the  parHamentary  post  stopped,  thought  it  unneces- 
sary to  take  active  measures  against  it,  since  it  would  soon 
cease  in  any  case. 

On  Christmas  Day,  1775,  the  Secretary  to  the  Post  Office 
in  New  York  issued  a  notification  to  the  public  that,  in 
consequence  of  the  decision  of  a  provincial  convention  at 
Annapolis  not  to  permit  the  parliamentary  post  to  travel 
through  the  province,  that  mail  would  be  discontinued,  and 
the  letters  held  at  New  York  at  the  disposal  of  the  persons  to 
whom  they  were  addressed.  The  parliamentary  post  did  not, 
however,  altogether  die.  As  late  as  1779  the  Secretary  in 
London  wrote  to  the  Deputy-General  at  New  York  that 
the  Postmasters-General  were  glad  to  find  that  a  number  of 
letters  were  being  brought  to  the  Post  Office  to  be  delivered, 
and  as  they  hoped  that  method  would  be  continued,  the  deputy 
would,  no  doubt,  soon  have  sufficient  funds  to  pay  the  expenses 
of  the  establishment.  But  in  1780  the  Postmasters-General 
were  concerned  to  find  that  the  whole  postage  would  not 
defray  the  cost  of  management,  a  circumstance  attributed  to 
the  fact  that  the  mails  were  often  seized  on  arrival  and 
carried  first  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Army.  In  consequence 
of  this,  a  great  part  of  the  letters  were  never  delivered  at  all. 
Very  little  postage  could  be  collected,  and  the  Postmasters- 
General  addressed  strong  representations  to  Lord  George 
Germain,  his  Majesty's  principal  Secretary  of  State. ^ 

In  1776,  in  view  of  the  great  necessity,  for  the  safety  of 
the  colonies,  that  means  should  be  provided  for  the  frequent 
and  rapid  transmission  of  intelligence,  further  dispositions 
with  regard  to  the  posts  were  made  by  the  Congress. 
Biders  were  appointed  for  every  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles 
'  British  Official  BecordSf  6th  Pecemb^r  1780. 


68  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

on  the  several  post  roads.  They  were  required  to  proceed 
through  their  respective  stages  three  times  a  v^eek.  They 
were  to  set  out  immediately  on  the  receipt  of  the  mail  and 
were  to  travel  "  by  night  and  by  day,  without  stopping,"  until 
they  had  delivered  the  mail  to  the  next  rider.  It  was  found 
that  the  revenue  produced  by  the  existing  rates  of  postage 
fell  far  short  of  the  expenses,  and  on  the  17th  October  1777 
th6  rates  were  raised  by  50  per  cent.  The  difficulties  of  the 
administration  continued,  and  various  committees-  of  inquiry 
were  appointed.  In  April  1779  one  of  these  committees 
recommended  the  doubling  of  the  rates,  a  course  which  met 
with  approval  from  patriotic  Americans.^ 

Even  this  increase  was  not  sufficient.  In  October  of  that 
year  there  was  a  balance  of  i6375  18s.  6d.  due  to  the 
Postmaster-General,  and  arrears  of  ^17,666  Is.  3d.  to  the 
post  riders.  For  the  discharge  of  these  liabilities  and  for 
the  continuance  of  the  functions  of  the  office  a  draft  on  the 
Treasurer  was  authorized.  In  December  1779  a  further  grant 
was  found  to  be  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  maintain 
the  service,  and  the  sum  of  $30,000  was  voted. ^  The  estab- 
lishment of  express  riders  which  had  been  maintained  in 
conjunction  with  the  postal  service  was  at  the  same  time 
abolished,  and  the  rates  of  postage  raised  20  per  cent,  on  those 
paid  in  1775.  But  the  cost  still  outran  the  revenue,  and  in 
May  1780  sums  amounting  to  $100,000  were  voted  in  aid  of 
the  service.  The  finances  of  the  posts  became  involved  in 
further  difficulties  through  the  general  depreciation  of  money, 
and  Congress  found  it  necessary  in  December  1780  to  make 
good  the  depreciation  on  the  pay  of  post  riders,  and  to  raise 
their  nominal  pay  to  double  the  sum  received  before  the  war.  3 

»  "  The  officers  of  the  American  Army  beg  leave  to  inform  their  friends  and 
correspondents  that  the  postage  of  all  letters  to  and  from  the  Army  is  doubled : 
but  as  their  pay  is  fully  adequate  to  every  expense,  they  therefore  request  them 
to  send  all  letters  by  the  public  post,  and  not  throicgh<iny  ceconomical  view  by  a 
private  conveyance. 

"'Tis  a  pity  that  the  Honourable  Congress  did  not  treble  the  postage,  for 
Officers'  letters,  as  a  large  annual  sum  by  this  means  would  be  put  into  the 
public  Treasury. 

'*  The  several  printers  of  newspapers  on  the  Continent  are  requested  to  insert 
the  above." — Pennsylvania  Packet,  22nd  June  1779. 

=  In  all,  no  less  a  sum  than  $111,967  was  advanced  to  the  Post  Office  during 
the  year  1779. — Journals  of  the  Continental  Congress,  1774-1789,  pub.  Washington, 
1904,  vol,  XV.  pp.  14:12  and  1436,  3  Jbid.,  vol,  xviii.  p.  1142, 


LETTER  POST  IN   THE  UNITED  STATES       69 

Several  minor  changes  of  the  rates  of  postage  were  made  in 
this  period.  In  December  1780  the  Congress  fixed  the  rates 
on  letters  at  half  the  rates  paid  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war :  and  in  October  1781  at  the  actual  rates  charged  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war.  But,  whatever  the  rates,  during 
the  war  they  never  produced  sufficient  revenue  to  meet 
expenses,  and  the  controlling  factor  in  the  administration  of 
the  service  was  the  necessity  for  a  means  of  circulating  the- 
earliest  intelligence  of  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  of 
their  ally,  in  order  to  make  the  best  disposition  of  their 
own  forces. 

By  the  Articles  of  Confederation  Congress  was  vested  with 
the  sole  and  exclusive  rights  and  power  of  establishing  a  Post 
Office  for  the  United  States;  and,  deeming  "the  communi- 
cation of  intelligence  with  regularity  and  despatch  from  one 
part  •to  another  of  the  United  States  essentially  requisite  to 
the  safety  as  well  as  the  commercial  interest  thereof,"  in 
1782  revised  all  the  regulations  made  theretofore  in  respect 
of  the  Post  Office,  and  reduced  them  to  one  Act.  The  Post- 
master-General was  required  to  cause  the  mail  to  be  carried 
with  all  care  and  despatch  at  least  once  in  every  week  to 
and  from  each  of  the  stated  post  offices,  and  was  given  a 
monopoly  of  "letters,  packets,  or  other  despatches."  Post- 
masters were  to  be  paid  such  commission  as  the  Postmaster- 
General  might  think  their  services  merited,  not  exceeding 
20  per  cent,  of  the  postage  collected  by  them.  Rates  of 
postage  on  single  letters  were  fixed  as  follows : — 

Distance.  Rate.* 

Not  exceeding  60  miles 1  dwt.  8    gr. 

Exceeding  60  milet,  not  exceeding  100  miles  . .         . .  2     ,,      0    ,, 

Exceeding  100  miles,  not  exceeding  200  miles  . .  2     „    16     „ 

And  so  on,  advancing  16  grains  for  every  hundred  miles. 

For  all  letters  for  or  from  Europe  by  packet  or  despatch 
vessels,  the  charge  was  4  dwt.  The  rates  were  doubled  for 
double  letters ;  trebled  for  treble  letters ;  and  a  packet  weigh- 
ing an  ounce  was  charged  equal  to  four  single  letters,  and 
in  that  proportion  if  a  greater  weight.  In  the  event  of  a 
surplus  of  Post  Office  revenue  over  expenses,  the  Postmaster- 

'  The  rates  were  given  in  pennyweights  and  grains  of  silver,  each  pennyweight 
being  estimated  as  equivalent  to  five-ninetieths  of  a  dollar. 


70  ^ATES  OF  POSTAGE 

General  was  required  to  pay  the  amount  to  the  Treasurer 
of  the  United  States  "  until  the  sums  of  money  heretofore 
advanced  by  the  United  States  for  the  support  of  the  General 
Post  Office,  with  the  interest  thereon  at  6  per  cent,  per 
annum,"  should  be  repaid,  after  which  any  such  surplus  was 
to  be  devoted  to  the  establishment  of  new  post  offices  or 
other  improvements  of  the  service.  If  the  necessary  expenses 
were  found  to  exceed  the  revenue,  the  excess  was  to  be  paid 
to  the  Postmaster-General  by  the  Treasurer  of  the  United 
States.^  Cross  posts  were  farmed  in  much  the  same  way  as 
the  cross  posts  and  bye  posts  had  been  farmed  in  England,^ 
and  the  farmers  were  bound  by  contract  not  to  charge  rates 
in  excess  of  those  fixed  by  the  ordinance.3 

After  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  an  Act  of  the 
Constitutional  Congress  became  necessary.  The  President,  in 
recommending  to  Congress  the  provision  of  the  Post  Office  and 
post  roads  on  a  liberal  and  comprehensive  scale,  referred  to 
the  political  importance  of  such  a  service  as  aiding  the 
diffusion  of  a  knowledge  of  the  laws  and  proceedings  of  the 
Government,4  a  consideration  which  was  paramount  in 
determining  the  attitude  of  the  United  States  Government 
towards  the  posts.  It  was  held  to  be  a  first  duty  of  the 
Government  to  afford  every  possible  means  for  the  dissemin- 
ation of  intelligence — general  intelligence  for  the  information 
and  education  of  the  people,  and  more  especially  political 
intelligence  for  the  education  of  the  people  as  citizens  of 
the  Kepublic.  They  were  making,  it  was  their  legitimate 
boast,  a  tremendous  experiment  in  politics.  They  were  essay- 
ing to  demonstrate  to  the  world  whether  a  people  had  the 
genius  to  govern  itself,  whether  democracy  and  the  republic 
were  abstract  political  ideas  only,  or  whether  they  could  be 
made  actual  living  things.  The  English  Commonwealth  had 
failed.  The  French  Ke volution  had  come  after  their  own 
and  was  still  in  doubtful  case.  They  could  therefore  neglect 
no  means  likely  to  strengthen  the  foundation  of  their  own 
Republic,  and  in  this  view  must  consider  seriously  the 
question  of  providing  effective  means   for  the  enlightenment 

^  Journals  of  Congress,  Philadelphia,  1781-2,  vol.  vii.  p.  509. 

=  See  pp.  12-14,  supra.  ^  Ibid.,  vol.  xii.  p.  11. 

'•  Message  to  Congress,  25th  October  1791. 


LETTER  POST  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES       71 

of  the  sovereign  people  on  all  matters  pertaining  to  the 
executive  Government  and  the  Legislature. '  In  order  to 
secure  the  dissemination  of  such  intelligence  members  of 
Congress  v^ere  given  extensive  powers  of  franking  both  letters 
and  nev7spapers. 

On  the  question  of  rates,  opinion  in  Congress  was  divided. 
Although  at  the  time  the  gross  revenue  of  the  Post  Office  was 
small,  some  members  anticipated  an  increase  sufficient  to 
yield  a  net  revenue,  as  in  England  and  most  other  European 
countries ;  whilst  others,  with  more  wisdom,  pointed  out  the 
vital  difference  in  the  case  of  America  on  account  of  "its 
great  extent  and  uncultivated  state,  as  well  as  from  a  thou- 
sand other  causes."  ^  tj^q  ^ew  rates  were  based  on  eight 
zones  of  distance.  For  distances  under  30  miles  the  charge 
for  single  letters  was  6  cents;  for  distances  over  450  miles 
the  charge  was  25  cents ;  every  double  letter,  double  rates ; 
every  triple  letter,  triple  rates;  and  every  packet  weighing 
1  ounce  avoirdupois,  the  rate  of  four  single  letters  for  each 
ounce. 

The  rates  for  letters  fixed  by  the  Act  of  1792  continued 
some  thirty  years,  except  for  slight  modifications  in  1799 
and  1816,  and  except  for  a  brief  period'  at  the  time  of  the 
war  of  1812-14  with  Great  Britain.  The  Government  then 
attempted  to  obtain  an  increased  revenue  from  the  Post  Office, 
and  the  rates  of  postage  were  increased  50  per  cent.  The 
effect  on  the  revenue  and  on  the  business  of  the  country 
was,  however,  so  disastrous  that  the  increased  rates  were 
maintained  only  for  about  a  year.  3 

In  1825  the  laws  relating  to  the  Post  Office  were  codified. 
The  codifying  Act  placed  on  the  Postmaster-General  the 
duty  of  establishing  such  post  offices,  and  appointing  such 
postmasters  on  the  post  roads  as  should  appear  to  him 
expedient,  and  of  providing  for  the  carriage  of  the  mail 
on  all  post  roads  that  were  or  might  be  established  by  law,4 
with   such   frequency   as   he   should   think    proper,    ''having 

'  See  Debates  and  Proceedings  in  Congress,  20th  December  1791.  (Washington, 
1849.) 

'  Ibid.,  Gth  December  1791. 

3  See  Congressional  Record  {House  of  Representatives) ,  2l8t  February  1863. 

^  Questions  of  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  the  post  roads  were  dealt 
with  by  Congress  separately  from  questions  of  mail  service. 


72  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

regard  to  the  productiveness''  of  the  routes,  the  means  of 
the  department,  and  other  circumstances.  Errors  and  irregu- 
larities crept  into  the  service ;  but  they  were  for  the 
most  part  the  result  of  "the  representations  and  pressing 
solicitations  of  the  citizens,"  sustained  by  members  of  Con- 
gress from  almost  every  section  of  the  country,  of  the 
extension  of  the  franking  privilege,  of  the  desire  of  the 
head  of  the  department  *'to  extend  the  benefits  of  mail 
facilities  and  stage-coach  accommodations  to  every  portion 
of  the  community,"  and  of  legislation  extending  the  trans- 
portation of  the  mail  over  unproductive  routes.  The  deficits 
which  resulted  were  not  regarded  altogether  as  an  evil,  because 
the  public  had  greatly  benefited  by  the  measures  which  had 
produced  them.^  Despite  the  soHcitude  of  Congress  the 
revenue  failed  to  recover,  and  in  1837  and  several  succeeding 
years  showed  a  deficit. 

Sir  Kowland  Hill's  pamphlet  Fost  Office  Beform:  Its 
Importance  and  Practicability  attracted  attention  in  America, 
and  as  early  as  1839  the  question  of  applying  the  principle 
of  uniformity  of  rate  to  the  American  service  was  under 
consideration.  The  rate  proposed  was  not,  however,  2  cents, 
the  equivalent  of  a  penny,  but  5  cents.  Sir  Eowland  Hill 
himself  expressed  the  opinion  that  owing  to  the  widely 
different  circumstances  penny  postage  might  not  be  applicable 
to  the  United  States,  but  that,  as  the  American  people  did  not 
look  for  a  revenue  from  their  Post  Office,  a  low  general  rate 
might  be  feasible.^ 

Although  a  low  and  uniform  rate  was  not  immediately 
adopted,  the  example  of  Great  Britain  had  great  influence.3 
There  was  considerable  public  agitation  in  favour  of  reduction 
of  rates,  and  in  many  respects  the  circumstances  resembled 
those  obtaining  in  England  before  the  reform.  The  high 
rates  of  postage  led  to  constant  and  widespread  evasion, 
advantage  being  taken  of  all  available  private  means  for  the 
transmission  of   letters,  and   an  association   formed   in   New 


*  Reports  of  Senate  Committee,  27th  January  1835,  p.  115. 

=  Letter  to  Hon.  Mr.  Kennedy,  Life  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill  and  History  of 
Penny  Postage,  pp.  336-7. 

3  See  D.  D.  T.  Leech,  The  Post  Office  Department  of  the  United  States  of 
America;  itsHistm-y,  Organization,  and  Working,  Washington,  D.C.,  1879. 


LETTER  POST  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES       73 

York  to  work  for  the  adoption  of  reduced  postage  held  meet- 
ings in  the  large  cities.  In  1844  the  finances  of  the  depart- 
ment were  in  a  more  flourishing  condition.  For  four  years  the 
service  had  been  able  to  maintain  itself.  The  state  of  the 
public  Treasury  had  prevented  any  material  change  in  previous 
years,  but  as  difficulties  under  that  head  had  ceased,  the 
Government  recommended  the  introduction  of  low  rates — 
gradually,  in  order  to  prevent  any  serious  dislocation  of  the 
finance  of  the  department.^  A  statute  was  accordingly  passed 
which,  while  not  introducing  uniform  postage,  went  a  great 
way  in  that  direction.  There  were  to  be  only  two  distance 
charges,  viz.  for  distances  not  exceeding  300  miles,  or  greater 
than  300  miles,  respectively.  The  new  rate  for  ordinary  letters 
was  5  cents  for  distances  not  exceeding  300  miles,  and  10  cents 
for  any  greater  distance.  This  statute  also  introduced  the 
principle  of  charge  by  weight  instead  of  by  sheets,  the  half- 
ounce  being  taken  as  the  unit  weight. ^ 


*  Message  to  Congress,  3rd  December  1844. 

'  Some  notion  of  the  spirit  in  which  the  question  was  approached  may  be 
gathered  from  the  following  extracts  : — 

'  •  To  content  the  man  dwelling  more  remote  from  town  with  his  homely  lot, 
by  giving  him  regular  and  frequent  means  of  intercommunication  :  to  assure  to 
the  emigrant,  who  plants  his  new  home  on  the  skirts  of  the  distant  wilderness  or 
prairie,  that  he  is  not  forever  severed  from  the  kindred  and  society  that  still  share 
his  interest  and  love :  to  prevent  those  whom  the  swelling  tide  of  population  is 
constantly  pressing  to  the  outer  verge  of  civilization  from  being  surrendered  to 
surrounding  influences  and  sinking  into  the  hunter  or  savage  state :  to  render 
the  citizen,  how  far  soever  from  the  seat  of  his  Government,  worthy,  by  proper 
knowledge  and  intelligence,  of  his  important  privileges  as  a  sovereign  constituent 
of  the  Government :  to  diffuse,  throughout  all  parts  of  the  land,  enlightenment, 
social  improvement,  and  national  affinities,  elevating  our  people  in  the  scale  of 
civilization,  and  binding  them  together  in  patriotic  affection." — Report  of  House 
Committee,  15th  May  1844. 

'•  It  [the  Post  Office]  was  a  most  important  element  in  the  hand  of  civilization, 
especially  of  a  republican  people.  There  would  be  room  to  dilate  in  reference 
to  the  utility  of  the  diffusion  of  sciences,  the  promotion  of  morals,  and  all  these 
great  benefits  resulting  from  the  intercourse  of  mind  and  mind.  .  .  .  Because  it 
was  so  well  understood  by  those  who  framed  the  Constitution,  we  find  in  that 
aacred  instrument  that  the  power  of  this  department  of  the  public  service  is 
exclusively  vested  in  Congress.  .  .  .  Every  nook  and  corner  of  this  country 
should  be  visited  by  its  operations,  that  it  should  shed  light  and  information 
to  the  remote  frontier  settler  as  well  as  to  the  inhabitant  of  the  populous  city 
or  densely  populated  districts." — Mr.  Merrick  in  the  Senate  when  introducing 
the  Bill,  27th  January  1845  {Congressiotial  Globe). 

"  And  what  element  but  universal  enlightenment  of  the  people  forms  the  chief 
corner-stone  in  the  temple  of  our  political  hopes?    and  what  instrument  so 


74  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

The  reduction  resulted  in  so  great  a  fall  in  the  revenue 
that  in  the  first  year  at  the  reduced  rates  there  was  a  deficit 
of  between  one  and  two  million  dollars.  In  calling  attention 
to  this  deficit,  the  President,  in  his  Message  to  Congress,  said 
that  no  principle  had  been  more  generally  acquiesced  in  by 
the  people  than  that  the  Post  Office  should  sustain  itself,  but 
Congress  had  **  never  sought  to  make  it  a  source  of  revenue 
except  for  a  short  period  during  the  last  war  with  Great 
Britain."  At  the  same  time  the  service  should  not  become 
a  charge  on  the  general  Treasury,  and  it  would  be  necessary 
either  to  curtail  the  existing  service  or  so  to  modify  the  Act 
of  the  previous  March  as  to  improve  the  revenue.  As  curtail- 
ment of  service  was  out  of  the  question,  revision  of  the  rates 
was  recommended.^ 

But  the  rates  were  not  revised.  Revision  in  an  upward 
direction  was,  indeed,  hardly  feasible.  The  public  agitation 
for  low  rates  continued  after  the  passing  of  the  Act  of  1845. 
Many  citizens  were  convinced  that  the  system  already  adopted 
in  England  might  be  introduced  in  the  United  States.  The 
benefits  which  had  resulted  in  England  in  the  way  of  com- 
mercial, social,  and  moral  betterment  were  largely  dwelt  upon. 
The  chief  demand  was  for  a  uniform  rate,  which  now  meant 
simply  the  abolition  of  the  increased  charge  for  distances  over 
300  miles.  There  was,  of  course.  Sir  Rowland  Hill's  calculation 
in  regard  to  cost  of  conveyance,  which  showed  the  futility  of 
any  attempt  to  make  distance  the  basis  of  charge;  and  the 
further  consideration  that  the  actual  cost  of  transit  for  each 
letter  sent  in  a  mail  varies  not  in  accordance  with  the  distance 
travelled,  but  inversely  as  the  number  of  letters  contained 
in  the  mail.  Moreover,  it  was  not  considered  just  that  the 
letters  of  the  people   of  the  populous  Eastern  States  should 


calculated  to  awaken  the  ambition  of  the  people  to  become  educated  as  the 
cultivation  of  the  taste  for  epistolatory  correspondence,  calling  into  action  those 
energies  of  the  mind  so  necessary  to  the  intelligent  discharge  of  the  high  and 
responsible  duties  of  freemen,  in  a  country  where  every  man  is  equal,  and  the 
builder  and  maker  of  his  Government." — Mr,  Paterson  in  the  House  of 
Representatives,  1st  March  1845  [Congressional  Globe). 

*  "  The  extension  of  the  mail  service  and  the  additional  facilities  which  will  be 
demanded  by  the  rapid  extension  and  increase  of  population  on  our  western 
frontier  will  not  admit  of  such  curtailment  as  will  materially  reduce  the  present 
expenditure." — Message  to  Congress,  2nd  December  1845. 


LETTER   POST  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES       75 

be  taxed  in  order  to  provide  unremunerative  mail  services 
to  the  remote  and  newly  settled  Western  States.^ 

Under  the  old  high  rates  the  revenue  had  not  increased 
in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  population,  but  since  the 
reduction  of  1845  the  increase  was  so  much  more  rapid  that 
even  with  the  reduced  rates  the  revenue  was  greater  than  ever 
before.  The  Government  preferred  rates  of  postage  which 
were  too  low  to  rates  which  were  too  high,  arguing  that  in 
the  former  case  the  great  mass  of  the  people  would  benefit, 
whilst  in  the  latter  case  the  benefits  would  extend  only  to 
a  few. 2  The  need  for  some  further  reduction  was  well  illus- 
trated by  the  fact  that  the  ordinary  charge  for  transporting 
a  barrel  of  flour  from  Detroit  to  Buffalo  was  at  this  time 
the  same  as  the  charge  for  carrying  in  the  same  conveyance 
a  letter  weighing  half  an  ounce,  viz.  10  cents. 

In  1851  an  Act  reduced  to  3  cents  the  rate  of  postage  on 
letters  not  going  over  300  miles,  with  a  fourfold  charge  on 
Pacific  mails,  on  account  of  the  great  expense  incurred  by 
the  department.  It  was  estimated  that  the  expense  of  such 
mails  was  four  times  as  great  as  in  the  case  of  •  ordinary  mails, 
but  the  proposal  met  with  opposition. 3 

In  1863  mail  matter  was  classified  in  three  groups :  (1)  letters, 
(2)  regular  printed  matter,  (3)  other  miscellaneous  matter.  The 
charge  for  letters  (first-class  mail  matter)  was  made  3  cents 
a  half  ounce  irrespective  of  distance.     The  rate  was  reduced 

'  "  The  honour  and  interest  of  the  nation  required  that  as  soon  as  the  title  to 
the  country  was  settled,  our  citizens  who  were  resident  there,  and  those  who 
shall  go  to  settle  there,  should  enjoy  the  benefits  of  the  mail.  And  as  it  was  the 
nation's  business  to  establish  the  mail,  it  was  equally  the  nation's  business 
to  pay  the  expense.  No  man  can  show  how  it  is  just  and  reasonable  that 
the  letters  passing  between  Boston  and  New  York  should  be  taxed  150  per  cent, 
to  pay  the  expenses  of  a  mail  to  Oregon  on  the  pretext  that  the  Post  Office  must 
support  itself."— J.  Leavitt,  Cheap  Postage,  Boston,  Mass.,  1848,  p.  27. 

^  Mr.  Root  {Congressional  Globe,  House  of  Representatives,  18th  December  1850). 

3  "  Sir,  I  am  acquainted  with  the  privations  and  hardships  incident  to  the 
settlement  of  a  new  country  :  and  I  do  not  intend  that  my  friends  who  are  now 
combating  the  trials  and  hardships  of  California  and  Oregon  shall  be  visited  by 
their  Government  with  such  injustice.  The  men  who  are  settling  those  countries 
are  sacrificing  their  lives  for  a  coming  generation.  I  will  not  add  to  their  hard- 
ships by  taxing  them  four  times  as  much  as  a  citizen  of  the  old  States  of  the 
Union  for  a  letter  which  shall  give  them  intelligence  of  their  friends  left  behind 
them,  and  shall  chill  that  gush  of  feeling  which  will  swell  their  bosoms,  as  they 
take  possession  of  a  letter  that  comes  from  their  far-distant  native  land." — 
Mr-  Sweetser  (Ibid.,  4th  January  1851). 


76  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

to  2  cents  a  half  ounce  in  1883,  in  deference  to  the  wish 
and  determination  of  the  public,  supported  by  a  very  decided 
vote  in  Congress.  It  was  anticipated  that  the  revenue  would 
not  suffer  severely,  but  that,  as  in  the  case  of  the  earlier 
reductions,  there  would  be  an  increase  in  the  number  of  letters. 
It  was  also  anticipated  that  many  letters  sent  unsealed  at 
1  cent  would  be  transferred  to  the  sealed  post,  thus  yielding 
an  additional  cent.  The  number  of  groups  or  classes  of  mail 
matter  had  been  increased  to  four  in  1879,  and  the  department 
was  now  asked  to  consider  whether  by  rearranging  the  third 
and  fourth  class  matter  additional  revenue  could  be  obtained 
from  such  matter  in  order  to  diminish  the  deficiency  resulting 
from  the  reduction  of  letter  postage.  The  department  was 
unable  to  suggest  any  method  for  achieving  this  object ;  but 
the  contemplated  reduction  was  not  delayed.  The  condition 
of  the  Treasury  was  good,  "there  being  money  enough  to 
meet  any  deficiency,  even  if  it  were  as  large  as  the  maximum 
($8,550,000),"  estimated  on  the  basis  of  the  number  of  letters 
then  passing  by  post  without  allowance  for  any  increase.^  The 
actual  loss  of  revenue  consequent  on  the  reduction  was  only 
$1,660,000.  A  large  stimulus  was  given  to  general  corre- 
spondence, and,  as  anticipated,  to  the  use  of  the  sealed  letter 
in  place  of  postcards  or  unsealed  circulars,  whereby  the  depart- 
ment reaped  considerable  profit.  In  1885  the  allowance  for 
weight  was  raised,  and  the  rate  became  2  cents  for  each  ounce 
or  fraction  of  an  ounce. 

Since  that  date  the  rate  has  not  been  changed,  although 
from  time  to  time  proposals  have  been  made  for  a  reduction 
to  1  cent.  The  public  and  the  department  realize  that  the 
2-cent  rate  is  immensely  profitable.  It  not  only  sustains 
the  service  for  letters :  it  enables  the  department  to  carry 
the  heavy  burden  of  both  the  second-class  matter  and  the 
expensive  rural  delivery  service,  both  of  which  involve  heavy 
deficits,  and  still  to  show  only  a  comparatively  small, 
though  fluctuating,  deficit.^  As  early  as  1890  the  question  of 
1  cent  letter  postage  had  attained   considerable  prominence. 

»  Congressimial  Record,  Senate,  17th  January  3883. 

"  The  cost  of  the  provision  and  maintenance  (lighting,  heating,  etc.)  of  Post 
Office  buildings  is  charged  directly  on  the  Federal  Treasury,  and  does  not  in  any 
way  figure  iu  the  Post  Office  deficit. 


LETTER  POST  IN  THE  UNITED   STATES       77 

Many  newspapers  were  advocating  the  reduction,  and  numerous 
associations  and  conventions  had  declared  for  it.  The 
Postmaster-General,  Mr.  Wanamaker,  himself  declared  that 
great  numbers  of  the  people  believed  in  1  cent  postage  and 
wanted  it,  and  that  the  existing  rate  yielded  a  large  profit 
which  would  permit  of  a  reduction  of  letter  postage  if  it 
could  be  devoted  to  that  purpose.^  In  1891  Mr.  Wanamaker 
expressed  the  view  that  in  time  not  only  would  1  cent  postage 
be  successfully  demanded,  but  that  the  time  was  not  far  off; 
although  he  himself  thought  that  many  other  improvements 
and  extensions  ought  to  be  provided  before  such  reduction  was 
made,  and  that  it  would  not  be  just  and  fair  to  the  service, 
upon  which  much  effort  had  been  spent  in  order  to  make  it 
self-supporting,  to  heap  upon  it  a  burden  of  millions  from 
which  it  could  not  recover  for  years.^ 

The  question  was  by  no  means  lost  sight  of. 3  With  the 
department  showing  a  deficit  in  most  years,  pressure  could  not 
be  brought  to  bear  for  a  reduction  of  postage  which  could  only 
result  in  throwing  a  heavy  charge  on  the  public  Treasury. 
Should,  however,  the  department  succeed  in  its  efforts  to 
obtain  a  higher  rate  of  charge  on  second-class  matter,  and 
such  higher  charge  results  as  satisfactorily  to  the  revenue 
as  the  department  anticipates,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
reduction  of  letter  postage  would  soon  follow.4 

*  "If  the  postal  revenue  arising  from  letter  postage  could  beset  aside  for  its 
proper  uses,  the  millions  of  letter- writers  of  this  country  might  quickly  be  per- 
mitted to  enjoy  a  reduced  taxation  on  letter-writing.  In  point  of  fact,  there  is  a 
clear  gain  of  nearly  ^30,000,000  from  letter  postages." — Annual  Report  of  the 
Postmaster-Qeneral,  1890,  p.  53. 

^  Ibid.,  1891,  p.  102. 

3  "There  is  now,  and  has  been  for  many  years,  an  insistent  demand  for  the 
reduction  of  letter  postage.  The  advocates  of  that  reduction  argue  that  the 
volume  of  business  naturally  resulting  therefrom  would  offset  the  temporary  loss 
in  revenue.  They  insist  that  the  charge  for  first-class  matter  is  out  of  all 
proportion  to  the  cost  of  its  handling  and  transportation." — Annual  Report  of  the 
Postinaster-General,  1906,  p.  xlvi. 

4  "  As  the  profit  on  first-class  matter  is  almost  equal  to  the  loss  on  second-class 
matter,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  an  equalization  of  rates  on  the  basis  of  the  cost 
of  service  would  permit  a  reduction  in  letter  postage  from  2  cents  to  1  cent  an 
ounce." — Mr.  Hitchcock,  Postmaster-General,  evidence  before  Commission 
of  1911, 


LETTER  POST   IN   FRANCE 

The  Eoman  posts  in  France  disappeared  in  the  confusion 
which  followed  the  incursions  of  the  barbarians.  Charle- 
magne repaired  the  roads  to  Germany,  to  Italy,  and  to  Spain, 
in  the  early  part  of  the  ninth  century,  and  established  on 
them  a  system  of  relays ;  but  with  the  passing  of  the  Carlo- 
vingian  Empire  these  arrangements  fell  into  decay.  The 
feudal  system  which  arose  after  the  break-up  of  the  Empire 
was  little  adapted  for  the  encouragement  of  posts.  Its 
tendencies  were  rather  towards  disintegration  and  isolation. 
Although  some  of  the  services  survived,  there  was  for  cen- 
turies no  general  system  of  posts  in  France.^  During  this 
period  the  chief  means  of  communication  were  provided  by 
the  monasteries,  which  maintained  regular  intercourse  between 
their  various  establishments  scattered  throughout  France,  Spain, 
Germany,  and  other  countries ;  by  travelling  merchants,  and 
by  journeymen. 

When  a  regular  service  of  posts  Vv^as  again  established  in 
France,  it  was  provided,  not  by  the  State,  but  by  the 
University  of  Paris,  which  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
centuries  increased  in  importance  and  renown,  and  attracted 
large  numbers  of  students  from  all  parts  of  France,  and  from 
foreign  countries.  In  order  to  provide  a  means  of  communi- 
cation between  the  students  and  their  homes,  the  University 
obtained  from  the  King  authority  to  employ  for  the  purpose 
messengers,  to  whom  were  accorded  certain  special  privileges. 
Thus,  in  1296,  the  messengers  of  the  University  were 
exempted  from  payment  of  tolls,  or  of  fees  for  entry  into 
towns.  At  first  they  travelled  on  foot,  but  at  a  later  date  on 
horseback   or   by  carriage.     The  system  developed  regularity 

^  p.  Jaccottey,  Traitd  de  Legislation  et  d' Exploitation  Postales,  Paris^  1891, 
p.  6,    E.  Gallois,  La  Poste,  etc.,  Paris,  1894,  pp.  41  and  44, 

78 


LETTER  POST   IN  FRANCE  79 

and  rapidity,  and  in  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  was 
employed,  although  without  authority,  by  the  public  generally.^ 

This  service  continued  until  1720,  when  the  privileges  of 
the  University  were  suppressed,  monetary  compensation 
(120,000  fr.)  being  paid  from  the  revenue  of  the  posts.^ 

An  ordinary  postal  service  was  re-established  by  Louis  XI  in 
1464.3  Relay  stations  were  set  up  on  the  main  routes,  four 
leagues  apart.  At  each  station  four  or  five  horses  were  pro- 
vided by  the  postmasters,  who  were  required  to  convey  the 
royal  despatches  without  special  remuneration.  For  conduct- 
ing the  royal  couriers  from  stage  to  stage,  however,  payment 
was  made  at  the  rate  of  10  sous  for  each  stage  for  every  horse. 

In  1527  the  postmasters  were  given  the  exclusive  right  of 
furnishing  horses  for  the  use  of  couriers.  In  order  to  provide 
accommodation  for  travellers,  a  system  of  relays  was  estab- 
lished in  1597,  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  posts.4  The  stages 
were  fixed  at  distances  varying  from  twelve  to  fifteen  leagues, 
and  the  charge  for  a  horse  was  20  sous  for  each  stage.  This 
system  was  amalgamated  with  the  posts  in  1602,  and  the 
functions  for  which  the  relays  had  been  established  were 
exercised  by  the  posts  until  after  the  Revolution.  They  were 
definitely  abandoned  to  private  enterprise  in  1797. 

The  transmission  of  ordinary  letters  for  private  individuals 
was  not  at  first  contemplated, 5  but  it  became  common  for  the 
royal  messengers  to  carry  letters  for  the  public.  The  con- 
veyance of  private  letters  was  first  definitely  provided  for  by 
the  State  in  1576.  In  that  year  a  special  system  of  messengers 
was  established,  whose  function  was  to  convey  legal  documents 
between   the   Parliament   and    the    inferior   courts,  and  was 

»  A.  de  Rothschild,  Histoire  de  la  Poste  aux  Lettres,  Paris,  1879,  p.  60. 
2  P.  Jaccottey,  op.  cit.,  p.  6.  3  Edict  of  19th  June  1464. 

4  Edict  of  8th  May  1597  :  "  Edit  du  Roy  pour  retablissement  des  relais  de 
chovaux  de  louage,  de  traite  en  traite,  sur  les  grands  chemins,  traverses  et  lelong 
des  rivi6res,  pour  servir  k  voiager,  porter  malies  et  toutes  sortes  de  bagages." 

5  "  Louis  XI  ne  se  preoccupait  nullement  de  la  correspondancedesparticuliers, 
ni  du  developpement  des  relations  commerciales  et  sociales :  il  poursuivait  un 
but  exclusivement  politique. 

"  Engage  dans  sa  grande  lutte  contra  la  feodalitd,  il  cherchait  le  moyen  de 
transmettre  avec  celeritd  ses  ordres  dans  les  provinces  et  d'etre  rapidement 
informe  des  manoeuvres  de  ses  ennemis.  .  .  .  L'institution  crede  par  Louis  XI 
pour  son  usage  exclusif  etait  done  identique  dans  son  but,  sinon  dans  ses  moyens, 
a  la  course  publique  des  Romains." — P.  Jaccottey,  op.  cit.,  p.  7.  Bee  also 
p.  Macpherson,  op.  cit.,  vol.  i.  p.  695, 


80 


RATES   OF   POSTAGE 


limited  to  the  period  during  which  ParHament  wa^  sitting. 
These  messengers  were  required  to  carry  letters  for  private 
individuals  at  the  following  rates  : — 

For  a  single  letter    . .         . .         . .         . .         . .         . .     10  deniers 

For  a  packet  of  three  or  four  letters 15       ,, 

For  packets  of  letters  weighing  an  ounce  or  more    ..     20       ,, 

irrespective  of  distance.^ 

Under  Eichelieu  the  ordinary  posts  were  given  a  regular 
organization.  Fixed  days  of  departure  and  arrival  were 
appointed ;  offices  were  established  in  the  towns ;  and  in 
1627  the  first  general  table  of  rates  was  issued. ^  Previously 
the  rate  was  fixed  mutually  between  the  couriers  and  the 
senders  or  receivers  of  letters. 3 

For  single  letters  the  tariff  of  1627  prescribed  rates  of  2  sous 
for  transmission  between  Paris  and  Dijon,  and  3  sous  for 
transmission  between  Paris  and  Lyons,  Paris  and  Bordeaux, 
Paris  and  Toulouse.  For  letters  composed  of  more  than  one 
sheet,  but  less  than  J  ounce  in  weight,  the  rate  varied  from 
3  to  5  sous ;  and  for  larger  packets  the  rate  was  from  5  to  8 
sous  per  ounce.  In  1637  the  posts  were  given  the  monopoly 
of  the  carriage  of  letters. 4 

In  the  first  years  the  posts  had  been  a  charge  on  the  State,  but 
at  about  this  time  they  were  let  at  farm,  and  proved  a  fruitful 
and  growing  source  of  revenue  to  the  State.  By  1672  the  annual 
rent  of  the  farm  had  risen  to  1,700,000  livres,  and  in  1791,  the 
last  year  of  the  farm,  the  net  revenue  was  about  12,000,000  fr. 

A  new  tariff  was  estabhshed  in  1676,  as  follows  : — 


Letters 

Packets. 

Distance. 

Single. 

With 
Envelope. 

Double. 

Per  ounce. 

Less  than  25  leagues 
From  25  to  60     ,, 
„     60  to  80     „ 
Above  80  leagues 

2  sous 

3  „ 

4  „ 

5  „ 

3  sous 

4  „ 

5  „ 

6  ,. 

4  sous 
6    ,. 
6    „ 

9         M 

6  sous 
9     „ 
12     „ 
15     „ 

»  A.  Belloc,  Les  Pastes  frangaises,  Paris,  1886,  pp.  43  and  46. 
«  Kegulation  of  26th  October  1627. 

3  See  Charles  Beruede,  Des  Posies  en  General,  et  particulUrement  en  France^ 
JTantes,  1826,  *  Leon  Gazes,  Le  Monopole  Postfile,  P^ris,  1900t 


LETTER  POST  IN  FRANCE  81 

The  progression  for  distance  was  in  decreasing  pro- 
portion. 

In  1703  the  rates  were  raised  mainly  in  order  to  provide 
funds  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  wars  of  Louis  XIV.  Two 
reasons  were  assigned :  the  necessity  for  increased  revenue, 
and  the  necessity  for  remedying  certain  defects  in  the 
existing  rates,  in  regard  to  the  distances  and  the  progres- 
sion of  weight — the  charges  should  be  proportionate  to  the 
actual  distance  traversed  by  the  couriers;  and  the  existing 
rate  of  charge  for  ounce  letters  was  therefore  unjust,  because 
it  required  at  least  six  single  letters  to  make  up  a  weight 
of  1  ounce.  ^ 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  new  rates  fixed  in  1703  did 
not  vary  exactly  with  distance.  The  number  of  zones  was 
doubled,  and  the  distances  were  reckoned  according  to  the 
number  of  stages,  and  the  routes  actually  followed  by  the 
couriers.  The  charge  for  a  single  letter  varied  from  3  to 
10  sous. 

These  rates  remained  in  force  until  1759,  when  a  variety  of 
causes  led  to  a  further  increase  of  rates.  The  Seven  Years' 
War  had  made  an  increase  of  taxation  necessary ;  there  had 
been  a  depreciation  of  money,  and  an  increase  in  the  cost 
of  all  commodities,  which  had  resulted  in  an  increase  of  the 
expenses  of  conducting  the  posts.  Under  the  tariff  of  1769 
the  eight  zones  of  1703  were  maintained,  and  the  rate  for 
single  letters  varied  from  4  to  14  sous,  with  an  additional 
rate  of  1  sou  for  all  letters  enclosed  in  an  envelope.  The 
principle  of  charge  according  to  weight  was  introduced  for 
letters  weighing  less  than  1  ounce,  which  up  to  this  time 
had  been  charged  only  according  to  the  number  of  sheets. 
Double  letters  weighing  more  than  J  ounce  and  less  than 
J  ounce,  were  rated  at  7  sous  for  the  first  zone,  and  for  the 
other  zones  a  **rate  2  sous  less  than  the  ordinary  rate  for 
double  letters."  Packets  were  charged  by  the  ounce,  and  the 
rate  per  ounce  was  four  times  that  for  a  single  letter.  As 
with  the  tariff  of  1703,  distances  were  calculated  according  to 
the  route  actually  followed  by  the  couriers. 

No  further  modification  of  the  rates  was  made  until  after 
the  Revolution.  The  lease  of  the  posts  was  due  to  expire 
^  Edict  of  8th  December  1703. 

7 


82  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

on  the  31st  December  1791,  and  it  was  decided  that  the 
Legislature  should  rectify  the  tariff  before  the  date  at  which 
the  posts  would  revert  to  the  State. ^  A  rectification  was 
accordingly  announced  by  the  decrees  of  the  17th-22nd 
August  1791.  This  revision  slightly  increased  the  rates  of 
1759.  The  initial  rate  of  4  sous  for  single  letters  circulating 
within  the  same  dSpartement  was  retained ;  the  rate  for  letters 
circulating  in  the  same  arrondissement  was  fixed  at  3  sous ; 
between  dSpartements  the  rate  was  increased,  and  varied  from 
5  to  15  sous,  according  to  distance  of  transmission ;  and  the 
number  of  zones  was  increased  to  eleven. ^ 

Distances  were  no  longer  to  be  reckoned  according  to  the 
length  of  the  route  actually  traversed,  but  from  point  to  point 
as  the  crow  flies.  The  points  were  not,  however,  the  actual 
points  of  posting  and  of  delivery.  In  each  department  a  point 
was  fixed  upon,  and  the  rate  for  all  letters  posted  or  delivered 
in  the  departement  was  calculated  as  from  that  point ;  so  that 
for  a  given  weight  the  same  rate  was  payable  on  all  letters 
exchanged  between  the  same  two  dSpartements,  This  system, 
though  comprising  a  very  large  number  of  rates,  was  much 
simpler  than  the  earlier  systems.  Any  one  town  or  village 
now  had  only  82  rates  for  each  step  in  the  scale  of  rates, 
whereas  under  the  previous  system  a  special  rate  must  be 
calculated  for  every  other  town  or  village  in  France.  To 
assist  the  application  of  this  tariff,  a  map  showing  the  central 
point  fixed  upon  for  each  of  the  82  dSpartements,  and  the 
distances  from  each  central  point  to  all  others,  was  prepared 
and  supplied  to  every  post  office  in  France. 

The  tariff  of  1791  also  abolished  the  method  of  charge 
according  to  the  number  of  sheets,  and  substituted  the  simpler 
method  of  charge  according  to  weight  alone.  The  maximum 
weight  for  a  single  letter  was  fixed  at  J  ounce,  and  for  heavier 
letters  the  rates  were — 

From  I  oz.  to  ^  oz IJ  times  the  rate  for  a  single  letter 

„     i      M    i  » twice 

„     I      „    1    „ 3  times 

„      1      „    li» 4  times 

and    so    on,    the  increase    being    one    single    rate    for    each 

^  Decrees  of  26th-29th  August  1790. 

»  P.  Jaccottey, op.  cit.,  p.  287.  Cf.  Le  Moniteur  Universel,  18  aout  1791,  p.  954. 


LETTER  POST   IN  FRANCE  83 

i  ounce  increase  of  weight.     The  rate  for  letters  circulating 
within  the  same  town  remained  2  sous  an  ounce. 

This  tariff  continued  in  operation  only  for  a  short  period. 
In  these  troubled  times  the  public  services  fell  into  com- 
plete disorder,  and  the  control  of  the  posts  by  the  Government 
did  not  prove  a  success.  When  in  farm  the  rent  had  been 
comparatively  large ;  but  under  State  management,  even  with 
the  increased  rates  of  1791,  the  finances  were  altogether  un- 
satisfactory. In  1791  there  had  been  a  profit  of  12  millions. 
Soon  there  was  a  deficit :  in  1793  it  was  found  necessary  to 
allow  4  millions  in  aid.  Further  increases  in  the  rates  followed. 
In  1795 1  they  were  made  2  livres  10  sous,  5  livres,  7  livres 
10  sous,  or  10  livres,  according  to  distance,  but,  like  most 
other  very  high  postage  rates,  failed  of  their  purpose.  Instead 
of  increasing  revenue,  they  almost  destroyed  correspondence. 
Transmission  by  private  means  became  widespread.^  Other 
circumstances — the  general  insecurity  of  the  times,  and  the 
violation  of  the  secrecy  of  letters  by  officers  of  the  Govern- 
ment— contributed  to  this  development.  At  the  end  of  six 
months  the  rates  were  lowered  to  3,  5,  7,  and  9  decimes, 
according  to  distance,  but  these  rates  were  still  high.  The 
posts  were  reconstituted  under  the  Consulate  and  the 
Empire,  and  further  minor  changes  introduced,  the  object 
held  in  view  in  all  these  changes  being  chiefly  to  secure 
a  revenue  sufficient  to  meet  the  expenditures  of  the 
service. 

The  last  tariff  under  the  old  system  of  charge  according 
to  distance  was  introduced  in  1827.3  The  number  of  zones, 
which  in  1810  had  been  increased  to  fourteen,  in  order  to 
provide  for  the  extended  territory  resulting  from  the  French 
conquests,  was  reduced  to  eleven.  The  rates  ranged  from 
20  centimes  to  1  fr.  20  for  single  letters,  and  the  weight 
limit  for  a  single  letter  was  fixed  at  7  grammes.  Distances 
were  reckoned  as  the  crow  flies.  In  1829  a  postal  service  was 
established  in  the  rural  communes,  and  an  additional  rate  of 
1  decime  imposed  on  all  letters  received  or  delivered  in  the 
communes.4    This  surcharge  was  abolished  in   1840.     As  in 

*  Law  of  27th  December  1795. 

'  P.  Leroy-Beaulieu,  Traiti  de  la  Science  des  Finances,  Paris,  1899,  vol.  i.  p.  G12. 

3  Law  of  15th  March  1827.  *  Law  of  3rd  June  1829. 


84  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

England,  the  charges  imposed  on  letters  sent  for  considerable 
distances  were  exceedingly  heavy.  The  charge  on  a  letter 
from  Paris  to  Marseilles,  weighing  15  grammes,  was  no  less 
than  2  fr.  20. 

Attention  was  soon  directed  to  Sir  Kowland  Hill's  proposals 
for  the  reform  of  the  English  system.  Before  the  reform  had 
been  introduced  in  England,  the  French  Government  were 
urged  to  improve  the  French  service  on  the  lines  proposed  by 
Sir  Kowland  Hill.  In  July  1839  M.  Lherbette,  member  of 
the  Chamber  of  Deputies,  suggested  the  introduction  of  a 
Government  measure,  and  in  this  he  met  with  considerable 
support.  The  Government,  however,  contented  themselves 
with  remarking  that  it  would  be  better  to  await  the  result 
of  the  projected  reform  in  England. 

In  the  following  years  the  question  was  frequently  raised 
in  the  French  Parliament,  on  the  Budget,  or  on  reports  and 
petitions,  and  there  was  considerable  public  feeling  in  favour 
of  the  reform.  In  1843,  65  conseils  generaux  presented 
petitions  in  favour  of  reduced  postage.  In  1844  M.  de  St. 
Priest  made  a  proposal  to  reduce  the  number  of  zones  to 
two,  and  to  fix  the  rate  of  postage  at  20  centimes  for 
distances  up  to  40  kilometres,  and  30  centimes  for  greater 
distances.  A  parliamentary  Commission,  appointed  to  examine 
this  proposal,  made  an  estimate  of  the  actual  cost  to  the  Post 
Office  of  the  transmission  of  letters,  and  found  that  while  the 
cost  of  a  letter  going  40  kilometres  (postage  20  centimes) 
was  9'75  centimes,  the  cost  of  a  letter  going  900  kilometres 
(postage  Ifr.  20)  was  14'75  centimes.  The  Commission  re- 
ported in  favour  of  a  uniform  rate  of  20  centimes,  but  the 
proposal  was  not  adopted.  Other  proposals  for  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  reformed  system  were  made  in  February  1846  and 
January  1848. 

It  was  left  to  the  Eepublican  Government  of  1848  to 
introduce  the  reform.^     The  National  Assembly  had  under 

*  *'  Citoyens  repr^sentants,  puisque  I'honorable  d^fenseur  de  I'inter^t  du  tr^sor 
a  port^  k  cette  tribune  un  mot,  je  ne  le  nie  pas;  il  est  vrai  qu'au  comity  dea 
finances  j'ai  dit  que  cette  loi  ^tait  une  loi  d'amour ;  je  le  r^pete,  et  j'adresse  de 
sincere  remerciements  a  la  monarchie,  pour  avoir  laiss6  k  la  Republique  le  soin 
de  donner  cette  loi  au  pays." — Le  Citoyen  Goudcbaux,  Ministre  des  Finances, 
Assemble  Nationale,  24  aoAt  1848  {Le  Moniteur  Universel,  Journal  Officiel 
de  la  B^pubUqite  Frangaise). 


LETTER  POST  IN  FRANCE  85 

consideration  at  the  same  time  two  propositions  for  effect- 
ing the  reform — that  of  M.  de  St.  Priest,  and  that  of 
the  Government  itself,  both  proposing  a  uniform  rate  of 
25  centimes  for  single  letters.  These  propositions  were 
referred  to  a  parliamentary  Commission,  of  which  M.  de 
St.  Priest  was  a  member,  and  the  report  of  the  Commis- 
sion, which  recommended  the  reform,  was  adopted  by  the 
Assembly. 

The  Government  Bill  to  give  effect  to  the  recommendation 
of  the  Commission  was  opposed  in  the  National  Assembly, 
mainly  on  the  ground  that  the  benefit  of  the  reduction  of  rate 
would  accrue  almost  entirely  to  the  business  and  commercial 
interests  and  not  to  the  general  public ;  and  on  the  ground 
that  a  letter  was  a  parcel,  and  should  be  charged  like  any 
other  parcel,  according  to  its  weight  and  according  to  the 
distance  transmitted.  The  Government's  justification  for 
the  proposal  rested  chiefly  on  the  moral  and  social  benefits 
which  would  result,^  and  they  contended  that  if,  as  the 
opposers  of  the  reduction  had  argued,  commercial  letters 
comprised  seven -eighths  of  the  total  number  of  letters  passing 
by  post,  such  an  extraordinary  fact  itself  did  not  show  that 
advantage  from  reduced  rates  would  accrue  only  to  business 
interests.  It  showed  the  injustice  of  the  existing  rates,  and 
would  never  have  existed  if  the  postage  on  letters  had  not 
been  higher  in  France  than  in  any  other  country  in  the 
world.  The  Commission  had,  moreover,  made  a  calculation 
of  the  actual  cost  of  conveying  and  delivering  letters,  which 
showed  that  the  average  cost  per  letter  was  from  10  to  12 
centimes. 

The  Government  estimated  that  the  number  of  letters 
would    double  in    the    first  year    (i.e.   would  increase  from 

*  '♦  La  question  que  j'appelerai  sociale  est  la  premiere  qui  se  presents  a  mon 
esprit.  .  .  Je  dis  done,  que,  au  point  de  vue  sociale,  la  diminution  de  la  taxo  des 
lettres,  loin  d'etre  favorable  uniquement  aux  n^gociants,  aux  gros  banquiers, 
comme  on  I'a  suppose  toute  k  I'heure,  sera  favorable  aussi  au  plus  grand  nombre 
des  citoyens.  .  . 

'•  Quant  k  I'avantage  moral  qui  r^sultorait  de  I'accroissement  de  ces  corre- 
spondancos,  je  crois  inutile  de  m'appesantir  sur  ce  c6t6  do  la  question.  Est-il 
douteux,  en  efEet,  que  les  enfants  auront  toujours  k  profiter  des  conseils  d'un 
p^re,  d'une  m6re  ?  Est-il  douteux  que  les  liens  de  famille  so  resserreront  davan- 
tage,  lorsque  les  relations  seront  plus  frdquentes  ?  " — Le  Citoyen  Goudchaux, 
Assemble©  Nationale,  24  aoiit  1848  (ibid.). 


86  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

55  millions'  to  110  millions),  and  the  result  would  therefore 
be  a  diminution  of  3,125,000  fr.,  or  6  per  cent,  of  the  total 
receipts.  This  would  represent  the  total  loss,  since  the 
Minister  of  Finance  assured  the  Assembly  that,  after  the  most 
minute  and  persistent  inquiries,  he  had  received  from  the 
postal  administration  definite  statements  that  no  increase  in 
expenses  would  be  caused  by  the  increase  in  the  number  of 
letters — a  result  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  increase  of 
traffic  would  be  appreciable  only  in  certain  large  towns ;  in 
other  places  the  result  would  simply  be  that  the  postmen 
would  each  have  a  few  more  letters  to  carry.  Moreover, 
under  the  new  system  the  manipulation  of  correspondence 
would  be  much  simplified  and  facilitated.^ 

Frederic  Bastiat  proposed  to  the  Assembly,  as  an  amendment, 
a  postage  of  6  centimes  on  letters  up  to  10  grammes,  and 
1  fr.  for  packets  from  10  to  100  grammes.  He  said  that  the 
transmission  of  thought,  of  communications  between  men,  was 
the  very  essence  of  society,  from  which  arose  wealth,  business, 
civilization,  and  taxes  themselves.  Consequently,  to  him  it 
appeared  an  anomaly  to  place  a  tax  on  such  communication.3 

On  the  economic  aspect  of  the  question  he  contended  that  a 
rate  of  5  centimes  would  provide  sufficient  revenue  to  meet 
the  expenses  of  the  service.4 

^  The  total  is  made  up  thus : — 

Local  letters  in  towns  of  the  departments       14J  millions 

Local  letters  in  Paris         . .         . .         10  „ 

Foreign  letters         7^  ,, 

Letters  passing  between  different  towns           23  ,, 

55 
»  See  Le  Moniteur  Unwersel,  Journal  Officiel  de  la  B^publique  Frangaise,  aout 
1848. 

3  •*  Je  concevrais  que  le  Gouvernement  ^tablit  un  imp6t  sur  tout  autre  chose 
pour  favoriser  celle-la,  mais  qu'il  etablisse  un  imp6t,  sur  celle-la,  cela  me 
parait  contradictoire.  Tous  les  jours  nous  votons  des  taxes  pour  faciliter  la 
locomotion  dos  hommes  et  des  choses,  nous  construisons  des  routes,  des  canaux, 
des  chemins  de  fer  dont  nous  livrons  gratuitement  I'usage  au  public,  et  ensuite 
nous  entravons  par  des  taxes  la  transmission  des  id^es  I  Je  dis  que  le  Gouverne- 
ment ne  doit  pas  faire  des  profits  sur  ce  service.  C'est  Ik  un  principe  qui  s'est 
^tendu  Bur  presque  toute  I'Europe.  En  Angleterre  on  est  compl^tement  entre 
dans  cette  voie.  Aux  Etats-Unis  le  Gouvernement  fait  des  frais  et  des  frais 
^normes  pour  en  ^pargner  A  ceux  qui  veulent  correspondre." — Le  Citoyen 
Frederic  Bastiat,  Assembl^e  Nationale,  24  aout  1848,  ibid. 

*  "  Les  frais  do  la  poste  sont  a  peu  pres  de  30  millions.  Qu'est-ce  que  la 
poste  nous  porte  ?    Qu'est-ce  qu'elle  distribue  ?    Elle  distribue  trpis  natures 


LETTER   POST   IN   FRANCE  87 

The  Government  were  not  convinced,  and  maintained  their 
original  proposal,  which  was  carried.     The  new  rates  were — 

Letters  not  exceeding  7J  grammes  . .         . .     20  centimes 

From  7^  grammes  to  15  grammes 40        „ 

„      15         „        to  100        „       Ifr. 

Over  100  grammes 1  fr.  for  each  100 

grammes,  or  fraction 
of  100  grammes 

The  special  rates  for  local  letters  were  continued,  viz. — 

Letters  **  de  Paris  pour  Paris  "  not  exceeding  15  grammes,  15  centimes  ; 
Letters  circulating  in  the  limits  of  the  same  post  office  not  exceeding 
15  grammes,  10  centimes. 

The  reform,  which  took  effect  on  the  1st  January  1849,  was 
much  less  sweeping  than  the  reform  of  1840  in  England — the 
initial  rate  was  20  centimes,  corresponding  to  a  twopenny  rate 
— and  the  results  were  naturally  less  striking  in  France, 
They  were  nevertheless  quite  considerable.  The  total  number 
of  letters  posted  increased  from  113,500,000  in  1848  to 
148,600,000  in  1849,  an  increase  of  31  per  cent.,  compared  with 
increase  of  122  per  cent,  in  the  first  year  in  England.  The 
gross  revenue  from  letters  and  other  packets  fell  from 
48,816,861  fr.  in  1848  to  36,582,009  fr.  in  1849,  a  decrease  of 
11,234,852  fr.  The  net  revenue  fell  from  16,960,773  to 
6,862,920  fr.     Thus  there  remained  a  substantial  surplus. 

Both  the  gross  and  net  revenue  recovered  in  much  less  time 
than  in  England,  as  might  have  been  expected,  since  the 
falling   off   had    not    been    nearly    so   great.     Moreover,    in 

d'objets  ;  d'abord  une  multitude  de  journaux,  et  remarquez-lo  bien,  ces  jour- 
naux  sont  soumis  k  la  memo  legislation  que  je  propose  aujourd'hui  pour 
les  lettres  ;  car,  telle  est  la  puissance  de  I'habitude,  ce  qui  vous  a  paru  fort 
extraordinaire  se  pratique  sous  nos  yeux,  tous  les  jours  pour  les  journaux ; 
et  cependant  aujourd'hui  vous  trouvez  singulier  qu'on  lo  propose  pour  les  lettres. 
La  poste  transporte  done  des  journaux  dont  le  poids,  si  je  ne  me  trompe,  est 
de  900  kilogrammes. 

**  EUe  transporte  ensuite  toutes  les  d^peches  administratives  dont  le  poids 
depasse  1,000  k  1,100  kilogrammes. 

"  Enfin  elle  transporte  les  lettres  dont  le  poids  n'est  pas  6gal  ni  k  celui  des 
journaux,  ni  k  celui  des  ddpeches  administratives. 

*'  En  consequence,  si  vous  r^partissez  les  30  millions  ou  35  millions,  si  vous 
voulez,  sur  les  trois  services,  vous  verrez  qu'il  ne  faut  pas  mettre  au  compte  des 
lettres  plus  d'une  douzaine  de  millions  de  francs. 

"  Eh  bien,  si  toutes  les  lettres  etaiont  taxees  k  5  centimes,  11  n'y  a  pas  de 
doute  que  les  12  ou  15  millions  de  frais  seraient  parfaitoment  couverts,"— Le 
Citoyen  Frederic  Bastiat,  ibid, 


88  KATES  OF  POSTAGE 

1850,  on  account  of  financial  stress,^  the  initial  uniform  rate 
was  raised  to  25  centimes,  and  the  rate  for  letters  of  from 
7J  grammes  to  15  grammes,  to  50  centimes.  The  result  of 
this  was  a  set-back  to  the  total  numbers,  which  were  only 
148,500,000  in  1850,  but  an  improvement  in  the  gross  and  net 
revenue.  By  1853  the  net  revenue  had  reached  17,176,229  fr., 
and  by  1854  the  gross  revenue  had  reached  50,019,801  fr. 

In  1854  the  initial  rate  for  single  letters  was  again  reduced 
to  20  centimes,  and  the  change  was  immediately  reflected 
in  the  total  number  of  letters.  In  1852  the  number  was 
167,100,000,  and  in  1853,  170,400,000,  an  increase  of  2  per 
cent.  In  1854  the  number  was  195,900,000,  an  increase  of 
15  per  cent,  over  the  number  for  1853. 

Minor  modifications  were  made  in  1861  and  1862.  The 
next  important  change  followed  the  war  of  1870.  It  was 
necessary  to  increase  existing  taxes  wherever  possible,  and 
to  impose  fresh  taxes,  in  order  to  meet  the  heavy  charges  on 
the  national  exchequer  resulting  from  the  war.  The  possi- 
bility of  obtaining  an  increased  revenue  from  increased  rates 
of  postage  was  not  overlooked.  In  1871  the  Government 
presented  a  Bill  for  the  purpose,  solely  as  a  fiscal  measure.^ 

New  rates  as  follows  were  established  : — 

Letters  not  exceeding  10  grammes         . .         . .     25  centimes 
From  10  to  20  grammes    . .         . .         . .         . .     40        „ 

M      20to50        „  70 

Over  50  grammes 50        ,,  for  each 

50  grammes,  or  frac- 
tion of  50  grammes 

For  local  letters  not  exceeding  15  grammes  the  rate  of 
15  centimes  was  continued. 

The  results  of  this  increase  of  rates  are  somewhat  difficult 
to  determine  with  any  degree  of  precision.  Other  circum- 
stances affected  the  number  of  letters,  such  as  the  loss  of 
Alsace-Lorraine  (an  industrial  province),  the  establishment 
of  postcards  in  1873,  and  the  reduced  means  of  the  people  by 
reason  of  increased  taxation.  The  number  of  letters,  which 
in  1869  was  313,360,723,  was  in  1872  only  292,466,678,  and 

*  Edgar  Bonnet,  Importance  des  Posies  et  TdUgraphes  au  point  de  vue  social  et 
4conomique,  Paris,  1891. 

="  M.  Caillaux,  Assemblee  Nationale,  23  aout  1871  {Journal  Ojfficiel  de  Za 
Bepuhligue  Frangaise). 


LETTER  POST  IN  FRANCE  89 

the  figures  for  1869  were  not  regained  until  1877.  If  the 
numbers  are  adjusted  by  reckoning  the  loss  of  Alsace-Lorraine 
to  have  resulted  in  a  decrease  in  numbers  proportionate  to 
the  numbers  of  its  population,  that  is,  one  twenty-third  of 
the  total  population  of  France,  and  adding  the  normal  increase 
of  9  millions  a  year,  the  number  in  1872  would  have  been  325 
millions,  whereas  it  was  in  point  of  fact  292  millions.  The 
reduction  was  even  greater  in  the  following  years.  In  1873 
the  total  number  fell  to  285,350,341. 

The  financial  result  was  no  more  satisfactory.  The 
revenue  in  1869  was  60,989,454  fr.  In  1872  it  had  risen  to 
72,615,276  fr.,  an  increase  of  20  per  cent,  only,  while  the 
rates  had  been  raised  25  per  cent,  for  letters  from  office  to 
office  and  50  per  cent,  for  local  letters.  In  1873  the  yield 
was  less.  It  was,  indeed,  Httle  more  than  would  have  re- 
sulted from  the  old  rates  if  the  normal  increase  of  numbers 
under  those  rates  had  continued,  although  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  this  would  have  been  the  case  in  view  of  the  heavy 
financial  strain  imposed  by  the  war  of  1870.  In  any  case,  the 
financial  result  of  the  increase  of  rates,  which  pressed  heavily/ 
on  commercial  and  social  intercourse,  was  extremely  small.^ 

But,  if  the  rates  were  higher  in  France  than  in  other 
countries,  there  were  yet  some  aspects  in  which  the  French 
service  was  in  advance.^  Compared  with  England,  for 
example,  the  uniform  rate  covered  a  much  greater  extent 
of  territory,  and  a  daily  delivery  of  letters  was  afforded  to 
every  hamlet,  and  even  to  every  isolated  house,  throughout 
that  greater  territory. 3  This  service  was  provided  by  a 
body  of  19,010  rural  postmen,  the  number  of  rural  postmen 
in  England  at  this  time  being  only  6,000.  Facilities  for 
the  posting  of  letters  were  also  more  extended  in  France : 
the  number  of  posting-boxes  was  45,000,  as  compared  with 
some  22,000  in  the  United  Kingdom.4 

*  P.  Jaccottey,  op.  cit.,  p.  298. 

"  See  Bap-port  sur  V Administration  des  Pastes,  pr^sent^  au  Ministre  dos 
Finances  par  M.  L^on  Riant,  Directeur-G^neral,  octobre  1877. 

3  "  Toute  commune  doit  etre  desservie  une  fois  par  jour,  au  moins  {loi  du  21 
avril,  1832,  art.  47)  sauf  exception  temporaire  en  cas  de  force  majeure,  et  dent  il 
est  rendu  compte  au  directeur  du  departement. " — Instruction  gin^rale  sv/r  le 
service  des  Pastes  et  des  TiUgraplies,  Paris,  1905,  vol.  iv.  p.  453,  Instr.  6316. 

4  It  must  further  be  borrie  in  mind  that  France  was  less  developed  induBtrially. 


90  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

It  was  always  desired  to  withdraw  the  increase  of  1872 
as  soon  as  the  financial  situation  would  allow.  This  course 
was  hastened  by  the  establishment  in  1874  of  the  Universal 
Postal  Union,  of  which  France  became  a  member.  The 
international  rate  for  ordinary  letters  adopted  by  the  Union 
was  25  centimes.  As  a  result  the  internal  rates  of  France 
were  much  higher  than  the  rates  for  letters  posted  in 
France  for  places  in  other  countries  of  the  Union.  Such 
a  situation  could  not  continue,  and  in  August  1875  the 
internal  rates  were  reduced.     The  new  rates  were : — 

Letters  not  exceeding  15  grammes     . .         . .         25  centimes 

From  15  to  30  grammes  50       „ 

„     30  to  50        „  75       „ 

Over  50  grammes  ..         ..         ..         ..         50       ,,  for  each 

50  grammes,  or  frac- 
tion of  60  grammes 

The  special  local  rates  were  retained. 

The  letter  rate  still  remained  comparatively  high,  and  in 
the  following  year  numerous  proposals  were  put  forward  in 
Parliament  for  a  reduction.  In  November  1876  the  Govern- 
ment proposed  the  reduction  of  postage  on  ordinary  letters 
to  20  centimes,  and  on  postcards  to  10  centimes,  the  special 
rates  for  local  letters  being  continued.  These  proposals  were 
referred  to  the  Budget  Commission,  who  expressed  the  opinion 
that  the  time  had  arrived  for  the  introduction  of  complete 
uniformity  of  rate,^  and  recommended  a  uniform  initial  rate 
for  letters  of  15  centimes  for  15  grammes,  and  a  uniform 
rate  of  10  centimes  for  postcards. 

Further  consideration  of  the  proposals  was  interrupted  by 
the  dissolution  of  the  Chamber.  In  the  next  session,  M. 
Caillaux,  Minister  of  Finance,  adopted  the  report  of  the 
Commission,  and  in  April  1878  the  rate  for  letters  was 
reduced  to  15  centimes  for  each  15  grammes,  or  fraction  of 

*  "  Nous  avons  jug^  cette  r^forme  insuffisante ;  elle  ne  serait  pas  de  nature  a 
donner  une  satisfaction  r^elle  a  notre  Industrie  et  a  acc^lerer  suffisamment  le 
mouvement  de  la  correspondance.  On  pouvait  discuter  peut-etre  ropportunit6 
de  la  mesure ;  mais  d^s  que  cette  mesure  est  reconnue  n^cessaire,  elle  doit  etre 
complete,  de  mani^re  a  produire  tous  ses  effets.  .  .  . 

*'  La  r^forme  k  20  centimes  entrainerait  done  un  deficit  total  de  12  millions  ; 
et  celle  k  15  centimes,  de  27  millions  ;  le  rapprochement  de  ces  deux  chiffres 
suffit  a  d^montrer  que  le  sacrifice  n'est  pas  assez  considerable  pour  hesiter  a 
faire  une  r^forme  complete  en  rMuisant  imm^diatement  la  taxe  a  15  centimes." — 
Bapport  portant  fixation  du  Budget  g^rUrale,  d^pos^  le  31  juillet  1877, 


LETTER  POST  IN   FRANCE  91 

15  grammes.  The  general  rate  was  thus  brought  to  the 
level  of  the  local  rate,  which  now  disappeared. 

The  results  of  this  reform  were  eminently  satisfactory.  The 
total  number  of  letters,  which  had  during  the  years  1872 
to  1877  increased  by  only  4,365,412,  or  some  one  and  one- 
third  per  cent,  per  annum,  increased  from  318,659,158  in  1877 
to  403,853,626  in  1879,  or  26  per  cent,  in  two  years,  and 
from  1879  to  1889  the  rate  of  increase  was  6*6  per  cent,  per 
annum.  The  Government  had  estimated  that  the  reduction 
would  involve  a  loss  to  the  revenue  of  some  15  millions  for 
the  first  year.     The  actual  loss  was  15,323,571  fr. 

These  figures  are  figures  of  gross  revenue.  The  figures  for 
net  revenue  are  less  satisfactory,  both  in  character  and  in  the 
amounts  indicated.  Their  character  is  unsatisfactory  because 
the  expenses  of  the  postal  and  telegraph  departments  were 
not  separate ;  and  the  figures  for  net  revenue  therefore 
represent  the  net  revenue  on  the  whole  service,  both  postal 
and  telegraph,  and  not  merely  for  the  postal  traffic  alone. 
At  this  time,  however,  the  telegraph  business  was  small 
comparatively,  and  the  figures  indicate  generally  the  result 
of  the  reform.  In  1877  the  net  revenue  was  47,706,293  fr. 
In  1878  it  fell  to  29,343,953  fr.,  and  in  1879  to  21,084,699  fr., 
from  which  date  there  was  a  gradual,  but  steady,  recovery. 
In  1888  it  had  reached  48,811,146  fr.  25,  an  amount  higher 
than  that  of  1877,  and  in  1889  the  net  revenue  passed 
53  milhons,  a  sum  never  before  reached  in  France.^ 

The  rate  fixed  in  1878,  although  marking  a  considerable 
reduction  of  the  previous  rate,  was  felt  to  be  unsatisfactory. 
One  of  the  principal  reasons  invoked  as  justifying  the  suggestion 
for  a  further  reduction  of  the  rate,  was  that  the  number  of 
letters  actually  posted  in  France  was  much  less  than  the 
number  posted  in  other  countries.  This  circumstance  was 
attributed  partly  to  the  high  initial  rate,  and  partly  to 
the  fact  that  the  progression  of  charge  was  directly  pro- 
portionate to  the  increase  of  weight.  The  initial  rate  was 
in  point  of  fact  much  higher  than  the  corresponding  rate  in 
other  countries.  The  Press  often  called  attention  to  the 
unfavourable  position  in  France  in  this  respect,  and  developed 

»  Rapport  portant  fixation  du  Budget  generate,  Chambre  des  D^put^s,  1898, 
No.  498. 


92  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

public  opinion  strongly  in  favour  of  a  reduction.  Represent- 
ations from  business  houses,  chambers  of  commerce,  and 
conseils  generaux  were  constantly  received  by  Parliament. 
The  question  was  frequently  advanced  in  the  Legislature, 
and  numerous  suggestions  for  legislation  were  put  forward 
by  members.  Thus,  in  1897  M.  Chassaing  proposed,  among 
other  reforms,  the  reduction  of  the  letter  rate  to  10  centimes 
for  each  15  grammes.  Although  admitting  the  desirability  of 
granting  the  boon,  the  Budget  Commission  were  unable  to 
recommend  that  course  on  account  of  the  serious  effect  on  the 
net  revenue  which  must  be  anticipated.^ 

In  1900  M.  Millerand,  Minister  for  Commerce,  Industry, 
Posts,  and  Telegraphs,  in  a  report  to  the  President, ^  recom- 
mended a  reduction  of  the  rate  on  the  grounds  that  it  would 
give  satisfaction  to  the  public,  and,  at  the  same  time,  increase 
appreciably  the  number  of  letters  transmitted  by  post.  He 
suggested  the  following  scale  : — 

Letters  not  exceeding  15  grammes         . .         . .     10  centimes 

From  15  to  50  grammes 15         „ 

Over  50  grammes    . .         . .  . .         . .  . .       5         „        for  each  50 

grammes,   or  frac- 
tion of  50  grammes 

'  Their  remarks  are  characteristic  of  the  attitude  adopted  towards  the  reform. 
They  said  : — 

"  L'adoption  de  cette  proposition  de  M.  Chassaing  aurait  pour  effet  de  cr^er 
dans  le  Budget  de  1898  un  deficit  qu'il  ne  parait  gudre  possible  d'^valuer  a  moina 
de  38  millions.  Quel  qu'il  puisse  etre,  dans  la  situation  actuelle,  il  serait  indis- 
pensable de  le  combler  et  Ton  ne  pourrait  pour  cela  recourir  qu'^  des  ressources 
nouvelles.  L'auteur  de  la  proposition  n'en  indique  pas.  II  se  borne  k  demander 
I'abandon  d'une  recette  sans  dire  par  quoi  cet  abandon  serait  compens^.  Sera-ce 
k  rimp6t  qu'il  faudra  s'adresser  ?  Mais  ce  n'est  pas  seulement  d'une  diminution 
de  recette  qu'il  s'agira.  On  a  vu  qu'une  augmentation  de  d^pense  ^tait  le  corol- 
laire  imm6diatde  la  proposition,  car  plus  prompt  et  plus  sensible  seral'effet  de  la 
reduction  de  tarif,  plus  pressante  sera  la  necessite  d'ouvrir  de  nouveaux  bureaux, 
de  cr^er  de  nouveaux  courriers,  de  renforcer  le  personnel  charge  de  la  manipu- 
lation et  de  la  distribution,  plus  t6t  s'imposera  I'obligation  de  r6organiser  le  ser- 
vice de  Paris. 

'*  C'est  la  uae  oeuvre  oil  I'initiative  et  I'intervention  du  Gouvemement  sent 
n^cessaires. 

*♦  Mais,  en  tout  cas,  et  pour  ce  qui  concerne  la  Commission  du  Budget  de  1898, 
un  abandon  de  recettes  de  21  millions  ayant  lui-m^me  pour  consequence  une 
augmentation  de  d^pense  de  17  millions  ne  lui  ont  pas  paru  admissibles." — Rapport 
portant  fixation  du  Budget  giiUrale,  Chambre  des  D6put6s,  1897,  No.  2701,  p.  49. 

=  Rapport  sur  les  conditions  du  Fonctionnement  de  V Administration  des  Postes 
et  des  Tdlegraphes,  par  A.  Millerand,  le  Ministre  du  Commerce,  de  I'lndustrie,  des 
Postes,  et  des  Tel^graphes,  12  May  1900, 


LETTER  POST  IN  FRANCE  93 

Such  a  reduction  would  bring  the  rate  of  letter  postage  down 
to  the  level  of  the  existing  rate  for  postcards ;  and  M.  Millerand 
regarded  the  reduction  of  the  latter  rate  to  5  centimes 
as  an  inevitable  corollary,  and  a  reform  which  might  safely 
be  made.'  Assuming  this  further  reduction,  and  applying 
the  proposed  reduced  rates  to  the  statistics  of  existing 
traffic— ignoring  both  the  probable  increase  of  traffic  and  the 
increase  of  expenses  which  would  result  from  the  increase  of 
traffic — it  was  estimated  that  the  loss  to  revenue  would  be — 

fr. 

On  single  letters        34,071,584 

On  heavy  letters        4,707,836 

On  charged  letters 404,787 

On  postcards 2,509,787 

Total      . .     41,753,994 

The  reduction  of  revenue  would  be  35*6  per  cent,  of  the  total 
yield. 

The  reform  of  1878  had  entailed  an  increase  of  working 
expenses  of  about  37  millions  (5J  millions  of  capital  cost, 
and  31J  millions  of  annual  expenses).  The  increase  of  traffic 
from  the  proposed  reform  would,  however,  be  17  per  cent, 
less  than  the  increase  after  1878  (because  the  reduction  was 
five-fifteenths  of  the  rate  instead  of  six-fifteenths  as  in  1878) , 
and  the  increase  of  cost  would  therefore  be  proportionately 
less.  Calculated  on  this  basis,  the  increase  was  estimated  at 
31,037,829  fr.  (4,920,000  fr.  capital  expenses  and  26,117,829  fr. 
annual) . 

In  all,  therefore,  the  reduction  would  involve  a  loss  of 
revenue  of  41,753,994  fr.,  and  an  increase  of  expense  of 
31,037,829  fr.— a   total   loss  of   72,791,823  fr.^ 

In  order  as  far  as  possible  to  replace  this  loss,  M.  Millerand 
proposed  to  abolish  the  special  tariff  for  papiers  d'affaires 
and  subject  them  to  letter  postage,  and  also  to  increase  the 
rates  on  small  packets  of  printed  matter,  other  than  news- 

'  •'  En  tout  cas  les  r^sultats  de  l'exp<5rienco  faite  k  I'^tranger  prouvent  que  Ton 
peut  abaisser  la  taxe  des  cartes  postales  jusqu'^  la  moiti^  de  celle  des  lettres 
simple  sans  craindre  que  les  cartes  fassent  concurrence  aux  lettres  et  que  la 
generalisation  de  ce  mode  de  correspondance  k  prix  r^duit  am^ne  une  diminution 
des  revenus  de  la  poste," — M.  Millerand,  op.  cit.  , 

»  ibid. 


94  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

papers  and  periodicals. ^  The  deficit  to  be  looked  for  in  the 
first  year  would  then  be  16,233,833  fr.,  and  might  be  estimated 
to  disappear  in  the  eighth  year.  The  gross  revenue  would 
recover  in  the  third  year.  The  Government  was  not,  how- 
ever, prepared  to  sacrifice  the  revenue,  and  the  proposal  was 
deferred. 

The  question  still  continued  to  receive  attention  in  the 
country  and  in  Parhament.^  At  length,  in  view  of  the 
persistent  agitation,3  the  Government  in  1906,  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Budget  Commission,  resolved  to  face  the 
inevitable  loss  of  revenue  and  make  the  reduction.  The  result 
was  in  many  ways  satisfactory.  The  number  of  packets  sent 
at  the  letter  rate  of  postage  increased  very  considerably.  A 
large  quantity  of  traffic  was  diverted  from  the  cheaper  open 
post  to  the  letter  post,  in  order  to  obtain  the  advantage  of 
secrecy,  some  large  business  houses  sending  at  the  letter 
rate  millions  of  communications  which  would,  under  the  old 
rates,  have  been  sent  by  the  open  post.  In  1905,  before 
the  reduction,  the  number  of  packets  passing  by  post 
was  2,371,000,000.  In  1907  the  number  had  increased  to 
2,720,000,000,  and  in  1908  to  2,802,000,000.  The  loss  of  net 
revenue  was  nevertheless  very  great.  The  gross  revenue  was 
diminished  by  some  12  millions,  and  the  expenses  increased 
by  21J  millions.  The  net  revenue  fell  from  91,750,000  fr.  in 
1905  to  59,750,000  fr.  in  1906. 

The  reduction  of  1906  placed  France  in  a  position  of  equahty 
with   most    other    nations    as    regards    the    initial  rate    for 

^  On  such  packets  the  rate  was  1  centime  for  each  5  grammes.  M.  Millerand 
was  of  opinion  that  any  rate  less  than  5  centimes  involved  a  loss  to  the  net 
revenue.  In  1877  it  had  been  estimated  that  the  average  cost  of  dealing  with 
a  postal  packet  (taking  all  classes  into  consideration)  was  8  centimes :  in  1889  it 
had  been  estimated  at  5*5  centimes.  The  Budget  Commission  of  1901  estimated 
the  cost  at  4  centimes. — See  Rapport  portant  fixation  du  Budget  gen4rale,  Ghambre 
des  D6put^s,  1901,  No.  1866. 

^  "  G'est  tomber  dans  la  banality  de  dire  que  la  France  n'occupe  pas  dans  le 
monde,  au  point  de  vue  du  trafic  postal,  un  rang  correspondant  k  I'importance 
de  sa  population,  de  son  commerce,  de  son  Industrie,  et  de  sa  haute  civili- 
sation."— Ibid. 

3  "Depuis  de  longues  ann^es,  les  chambres  de  commerce  et  la  Presse  toute 
enti^re  r^claimaient  une  r^forme  depuis  quelque  temps  realis^e  dans  la  plupart 
des  pays  strangers.  Mais  le  souci  de  I'^quilibre  budgetaire  avait  tou jours  fait 
ajourner  la  reduction  k  10  centimes  de  la  taxe  des  lettres." — Ibid.,  S^nat,  1906, 
No.  477. 


LETTER  POST  IN  FRANCE  95 

letters.  Indeed,  the  French  rate  was  slightly  lower  than 
that  in  several  other  countries.  Thus,  the  equivalent  of 
the  German  and  Austrian  initial  rates  was  12'2  centimes,  of 
the  Swedish  13*8  centimes,  and  of  the  English  10'5  centimes. 
But  as  regards  the  weight  allowed  for  the  initial  rate, 
and  also  as  regards  the  rates  for  heavier  letters,  the  position 
was  still  unsatisfactory.  The  maximum  weight  allowed  to 
pass  at  the  initial  rate  was  15  grammes,  and  the  rate  for  a 
letter  of  250  grammes  was  1  fr.  70.^  In  Germany  the  rate  for 
a  letter  of  that  weight  was  24'4  centimes,  in  England  26'2 
centimes,  and  in  Switzerland  10  centimes.  Attention  was 
therefore  now  directed  to  a  modification  of  the  scale  of 
rates  for  the  heavier  letters.  The  Budget  Commissions  of  1908 
recommended  the  reform. ^  In  their  view  the  unfavourable 
comparison  with  other  countries  in  this  respect  could  be 
justified  neither  by  logic  nor  by  regard  to  the  interests  of 
the  Treasury.  Logically,  a  rate  of  postage  ought  to  be  pro- 
portionate to  the  cost  of  the  service  performed,  and  this  was 
far  from  varying  in  accordance  with  the  weight  of  postal 
packets.3 

The  number  of  heavy  letters  was,  moreover,  small  propor- 
tionately, and  the  effect  on  the  Treasury  of  a  reduction  of 
rate  for  such  letters  would  be  slight.  Indeed,  it  was  thought 
an  increase  of  revenue  might  be  anticipated,  since,  in  addition 
to  the  natural  increase  resulting  from  the  reduction,  there 
would,  as  in  1906,  be  a  tendency  for  many  packets  sent  by 
the  open  post  to  be  sent  under  the  advantage  of  the  closed 
post.     It  was  urged  that  the  reduction  should  be  accompanied 

"  On  the  proposal  at  the  Universal  Postal  Congress  of  1907  to  increase  the 
weight  unit  for  international  letters,  the  Budget  Report  (Chambre  des  D^put^a, 
Session  1909,  No.  2767)  contained  the  following  :— 

"  Alors  que  tous  nos  voisins  ou  presque  tous  s'6taient  conform^s  k  partir  du 
1^'  octobre  1907,  aux  indications  du  Congr^s  de  I'Union  postale  universelle,  il 
etait  humiliant  pour  la  Franco  de  montrer  que  des  preoccupations  purement 
fiscales  TempSchaient  d'adopter,  avec  le  mSme  empressement  que  TAUemagne, 
la  Belgique,  I'Angleterre  ou  la  Suisse,  la  r^forme." 

»  Bapport  portant  fixation  du  Budget  g^n4rale,  S^nat,  1908,  No.  340.  Ibid., 
Chambre  des  D^put^s,  1908,  No.  2032. 

3  "  II  n'en  coute  pas  plus  pour  timbrer,  trier,  transporter  et  distribuer  un  objet 
pesant  qu'un  objet  l^ger.  Tout  au  plus  doit  ou  tenir  compte  de  rencombrement 
produit  par  les  objets  volumineux  ot  du  surcroit  de  travail  qu'occasionne  le 
contr61e  obligatoire  du  poids  des  objets  pesantes,  en  graduant  les  tarifs  suivant 
une  progression  nettement  d^croissante  par  rapport  au  poids." — Ibid. 


96  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

by  certain  modifications  in  the  minor  rates,  which  would 
lead  to  a  desirable  simplification  of  rates  :  the  special  rate  for 
commercial  papers  should  be  abolished,  and  the  general  rate 
for  postcards  should  be  made  5  centimes ;  the  whole  of  the 
reforms  being  carried  out  at  the  same  time,  in  order  that 
the  increases  might  be  seen  in  their  proper  relation  to  the 
compensating  reductions.  Otherwise  the  public  might  forget 
the  benefits,  and  resent  the  increases.  The  net  loss  of  revenue 
was  estimated  at  4  million  francs.^ 

The  law  of  the  8th  April  1910  increased  the  unit  of  weight 
for  letters  to  20  grammes.  For  the  heavier  letters  the  rates 
were :  from  20  to  50  grammes,  15  centimes ;  from  50  to  100 
grammes,  20  centimes ;  and  so  on,  adding  5  centimes  for  each 
50  grammes  or  fraction  of  50  grammes  up  to  the  maximum 
weight  allowed,  viz.  1  kilogramme.  The  special  rate  for 
commercial  papers  over  20  grammes  in  weight  was 
abolished.  The  privileged  rate  was  retained  for  packets 
weighing  not  more  than  20  grammes,  Parliament  refusing 
to  agree  to  its  total  abolition. 

Note.— On  the  1st  January  1917,  as  a  war  measure,  the  general  letter  rate 
was  raised  from  10  centimes  to  15  centimes. 


^  See  table  of  financial  effect,  Rapport  portant  fixation  du  Budget  generate, 
S^nat,  1910,  No.  115. 


LETTER    POST    IN    GERMANY  ^ 

A  SYSTEM  of  messengers  {Boten-Anstalten)  existed  in 
Brandenburg  as  early  as  the  first  half  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  in  1604  a  master  of  the  messengers  {Botenmeister)  was 
appointed,  whose  duty  was  to  control  the  sending  and  receiving 
of  all  despatches.2  The  incorporation  of  Prussia  and  Cleve  in 
the  Mark  of  Brandenburg  rendered  necessary  the  improvement 
and  extension  of  the  messenger  service,  and  in  1614  the 
Elector  John  Sigismund  appointed  twenty-four  messengers, 
who  were  paid  at  a  fixed  rate,  according  to  the  length  of 
the  route  traversed.  Thus,  for  the  Strasburg,  Cologne,  and 
Diisseldorf  routes  the  payment  was  10  thalers,  and  for  the 
Cracow,  Konigsberg,  and  Mainz  routes,  8  thalers.  Once  a 
year  they  were  supplied  with  an  outfit  of  clothing.  When 
not  travelling,  they  were  required  to  report  themselves 
every  hour  to  the  Botenmeister y  and  to  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  at  all  times  to  set  out  if  necessary  without  delay. 
The  journeys  were  made  according  to  set  times,  and  the 
messengers,  who  carried  both  letters  and  parcels,  were  pro- 
vided with  a  way-bill,  on  which  the  times  of  arrival  at  and 
departure  from  the  various  points  were  entered.  The  Boten- 
Anstalten  really  comprised  two  kinds  of  undertakings — the 
so-called  Post-boten  and  the  Landkutschen.  The  former  were 
the  ordinary  messengers ;  the  latter  a  kind  of  stage-coach 
system,  which  carried  both  passengers  and  merchandise. 3  The 
rates  of  charge  were  based  on  the  actual  length  of  the 
journey,   and  also  upon   any  accidental  circumstance   which 

'  Prior  to  the  date  of  the  establishment  of  the  Imperial  German  Post  Office, 
the  text  deals  more  particularly  with  the  rate  in  Prussia.  For  a  sketch  of  the 
Thurn  and  Taxis  posts  in  Germany  see  infra,  Appendix  A,  pp.  349  ff. 

=  H.  von  Stephan,  Geschichte  der  preiissischen  Post,  Berlin,  1859,  p.  12. 

3  F.  Haass,  Die  Post  und  der  Charakter  ihre  Einkunfte,  Stuttgart,  1890,  p.  92. 

8  97 


98  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

might  have  a  relation  to  the  question,  such  as  high  general 
prices.^ 

In  1634  a  riding  post  between  Coin  a.  d.  Spree  and  Crossen 
was  established,  and  shortly  afterwards  a  similar  post  to 
Glogau,  in  order  to  provide  a  means  of  communication 
between  the  Government  and  the  Swedish  Army.  For  the 
same  purpose  in  1635  a  daily  messenger  service  {Botenpost) 
was  established  from  Tangermiinde  to  Berlin,  and  in  1646 
a  military  post  (Drago7ierpost)  was  established  between  Berlin 
and  Osnabruck,  in  connection  with  the  conference  preceding 
the  signing  of  the  Treaty  of  Westphalia. 

All  these  services  were  for  the  conveyance  of  the  Court 
and  Administrative  correspondence  only.  The  Botenmeister 
nevertheless  frequently  undertook  the  conveyance  of  private 
letters,  for  which  special  charges  were  made,  and  often  the 
messengers  themselves  clandestinely  carried  private  letters. 

In  1618  the  Botenmeister  of  Berlin  established  a  special 
messenger  route  for  the  conveyance  of  private  letters  {Ordi- 
nari-Boten-Cours)  from  Berlin  to  Leipzig  and  Hamburg,  and 
at  about  the  same  time  the  Botenmeister  of  Konigsberg  estab- 
lished a  similar  route  to  Danzig.  In  other  large  towns 
messenger  services  for  the  conveyance  of  ordinary  letters 
were  established  by  private  individuals,  but  these  services 
were  often  inefficiently  conducted.  The  messengers  followed 
no  fixed  route,  and  the  services  were  irregular  and  unsafe. 
They  were  at  best  only  makeshifts. 

As  the  result  of  a  variety  of  circumstances,  the  establish- 
ment of  regular  posts  became  a  necessity  in  the  time  of  the 
Great  Elector.  The  extension  of  the  Brandenburg  territory, 
and  the  political  developments,  rendered  it  desirable  to  adopt 
all  possible  means  for  binding  together  the  entire  territory. 
Eegular  posts  would  also  contribute  to  the  national  welfare 
and  assist  industry  and  commerce,  although  there  was  little 
prospect  that  at  the  outset  they  would  prove  profitable. ^  In 
1646  a  riding  post  between  Konigsberg  and  Danzig  was 
established ;  shortly  afterwards  a  post  between  Berlin  and 
Konigsberg,  and  thereafter  others.  In  1649  the  control  of  all  the 
posts  was  definitely  assumed  by  the  Electoral  administration. 3 

»  F.  Haass,  op.  cit.,,p.  94.  =  H.  vou  Stephan,  op.  cit.,  p.  15. 

3  Ibid.,  p.  17. 


LETTER   POST   IN   GERMANY  99 

In  general  the  posts  went  twice  weekly;  stages  were 
erected  for  the  exchange  of  horses  and  postiHons.  At  first, 
postilions  were  changed  every  twelve  (German)  miles, ^  and 
horses  every  four  (German)  miles.  Later,  the  stages  for  the 
changing  of  horses  were  reduced  to  three  miles.  The  usual 
speed  of  the  posts,  travelling  day  and  night,  was  one  mile 
an  hour,  and  punctuality  was  insisted  on.^  The  journey 
from  Berlin  to  Konigsberg  occupied  four  days,  and  that 
from  Konigsberg  to  Cleve  ten  days.3  There  was  at  first  no 
delivery  service,  and  all  letters  must  be  obtained  at  the 
post  office,  where  the  people  were  consequently  in  the 
habit  of  congregating  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  post. 4  The 
postage  was  retained  by  the  Postmaster  as  the  remuneration 
for  his  services.  For  the  actual  management  and  conduct 
of  the  service  he  drew  on  the  State  funds  to  the  extent 
of  some  6,000  thalers  annually,  and  all  official  despatches 
were  consequently  conveyed  free.  This  charge  diminished, 
however,  with  the  years,  and  in  course  of  time  the  service 
came  to  yield  a  profit  to  the  State.  In  the  Postmaster's 
patent  granted  in  1661  it  was  provided  that  a  portion  of  the 
proceeds  of  postage  should  be  accounted  for  to  the  State 
treasury.5 

The  rates  of  postage  were  at  first  fixed  according  to  ancient 
custom,  but  they  were  on  several  occasions  reduced.  The 
postage  on  a  letter  not  exceeding  half  an  ounce  in  weight 
sent  from  Berlin  to  Wutzkow,  from  Breslau  to  Wutzkow,  or 

'  1  German  mile  =  7*5  kilometres.  Distances  are  given  throughout  in 
German  miles. 

=  H.  von  Stephan,  op.  cit.,  p.  G2.  3  Ibid.,  p.  18. 

*  "  Dass  unter  aolchen  Umstanden  boi  Aukunft  der  Posten  namentlich  an 
bedcutcuderen  Orten  ein  grosser  Zusammenlauf  von  Menschen  stattfand,  ist 
begreiflich.  Auch  finden  wir  mehrere  Rescripte  wider  das  tumultuarische 
Treibcn  des  Publicums  vor  den  Posthausern." — Ibid.,  p.  61. 

5  In  1662  the  posts  yielded  7,000  thalers  surplus  (revenue  17,000  thalers, 
expenditure  10,000  thalers) ;  in  1672,  10,433  thalers  (revenue  24,539  thalers,  ex- 
penditure 14,106  thalers) ;  in  1682,  29,058  thalers  (revenue  51,959  thalers, 
expenditure  22,901  thalers  ;  and  in  1688,  39,213  thalers  (revenue  79,971  thalers, 
expenditure  40,758  thalers).  The  net  revenue  of  the  posts  was  generally  devoted 
to  the  payment  of  State  officials,  to  the  improvement  of  means  of  communica- 
tion (building  of  canals,  etc.),  and  to  beneficence.  For  example,  the  Elector, 
during  the  severe  illness  of  his  first  wife,  made  a  vow  to  found  an  almshouse 
and  ordered  6,000  thalers  yearly  to  be  assigned  for  its  support.  Of  this  sum 
2,000  thalers  were  laid  on  the  post  revenues. — Ibid.,  p,  60, 


100  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

from  Berlin  to  Frankfort,  was  2  groschen,  and  from  Berlin 
to  Magdeburg,  IJ  groschen. ^ 

"With  the  growth  of  commerce  and  the  estabhshment  of 
the  travelHng  post  and  parcel  post,  the  service  became  more 
and  more  successful  financially.  In  1695  the  expenses  re- 
presented some  50  per  cent,  of  the  gross  revenue.  By  1712 
they  had  fallen  to  some  41  per  cent.  The  gross  revenue  was 
at  the  same  time  rapidly  increasing.  The  net  revenue,  which 
was,  of  course,  increasing  still  more  rapidly,  was  in  1695  about 
62,000  thalers,  and  by  1712  had  risen  to  some  137,000  thalers. 

The  rates  of  postage  were  modilQed  in  1699,  and  again  in 
1712 ;  but  as  the  old  rates  were  retained  as  the  basis  of 
both  revisions,  the  charges  remained  for  fifty  years  substan- 
tially unchanged.  A  letter  from  Berlin  to  Hamburg  now  cost 
2J  groschen,  to  Bremen  3  groschen,  to  Dresden  2  groschen,  to 
Frankfort-on-Main  3  groschen,  and  so  on. 

During  the  next  fifty  years  prices  were  gradually,  but 
steadily,  rising  in  Prussia.  The  Seven  Years'  War  produced 
a  sudden  and  very  considerable  rise  in  the  prices  of  all 
agricultural  products.  And  not  only  did  the  purchasing 
power  of  money  fall  owing  to  the  scarcity  and  high  price 
of  provisions,  but  its  value  also  decreased  through  depre- 
ciation.^  The  cost  of  conducting  the  postal  service  rose 
correspondingly,  and  the  financial  difficulties  were  increased 
owing  to  the  falling  off  of  traffic  consequent  on  the  war. 
At  the  end  of  1761  the  King  was  asked  to  agree  to  a 
contribution  in  aid,  but  assistance  was  not  forthcoming. 
Something  had  to  be  done  ;  and  on  the  27th  January  1762, 
in  common  with  the  general  increase  of  taxation,  the  rates 
for  parcels  and  for  value  letters  were  increased  100  per  cent. ; 
the  travelling  post  rates,  which  varied  from  3  to  4  groschen 
per  mile,  were  increased  by  1  groschen  per  mile  ;  and  the  fees 
for  guides,  which  were  about  6  groschen  per  station,,  by  about 
2  groschen  per  station.     The  letter  rate  remained  unchanged.3 

^  A  groschen  was  roughly  the  equivalent  of  a  penny.  The  value  of  money  was 
then  about  four  times  its  present  value. 

""  The  price  of  a  bushel  of  rye  in  Berlin,  which  from  1740  to  1756  had  varied 
from  23  groschen  to  a  thaler,  rose  to  4  thalers. 

3  The  edict  of  the  27th  January  proclaiming  the  higher  rates  remarked  that 
the  raising  of  the  letter  rate  would  be  detrimental  to  the  public  and  prejudicial 
to  the  credit  of  the  service,  and  that  "  in  spite  of  the  high  price  of  corn  and  the 


LETTER  POST  IN  GERMANY  161 

In  the  early  part  of  1766  a  new  tariff  was  introduced. 
The  rates  for  parcels  fixed  in  1762  were  maintained,  and 
new  and  higher  rates  for  letters  were  introduced.  The  in- 
crease in  the  general  rates  varied  from  about  15  per  cent, 
to  about  50  per  cent.  The  minimum,  which  for  letters 
passing  between  many  neighbouring  places  had  formerly  been 
only  6  pfennigs,  was  increased  to  1  groschen. 

The  raising  of  the  rate  led  to  a  large  amount  of  fraud,  and 
caused  much  public  inconvenience.  The  revenue  did,  indeed, 
increase  in  the  first  year  quite  appreciably ;  but  in  the  second 
and  third  years,  instead  of  the  normal  yearly  increase,  there 
was  a  notable  decrease.  Complaints  against  the  new  rates 
were  widespread,  and  it  was  alleged  that  the  increased  charges 
embarrassed  commerce.  In  1770  the  rates  for  heavy  letters, 
printed  matter,  and  documents  were  reduced  again  to  those 
of  1712.  The  rates  had  previously  been  based  on  a  variety 
of  considerations,^  but  this  miscellaneous  basis  was  now  put 
aside  and  a  uniform  system  established,  the  same  letter  rate 
being  applied  throughout  the  State. 

The  coinage  edict  of  1821,  by  which  the  thaler  wcs  divided 
into  30  silver  groschen  instead  of  24  groschen  as  prcvioufily, 
made*  necessary  an  alteration  of  the  postage  charges,  and 
amended  rates  were  established  on  the  1st  January  1822. 
No  account  was  taken  of  a  less  amount  than  a  half-groschen, 
and  odd  amounts  were  reckoned  at  the  next  half-groschen 
above,  with  the  result  that  in  certain  cases  the  rate  became 
higher  than  formerly. 

A  reduction  of  the  rates  of  postage  was  in  contem- 
plation, but  while  the  discussions  on  the  proposals  were  in 
progress,  the  State  finances  became  somewhat  straitened.  It 
became  necessary  to  look  about  for  fresh  revenue,  and  a 
Commission  appointed  to  consider  the  question  recommended 

depreciation  of  money,  raising  of  the  letter  rate  could  not  be  thought  of,  and 
that  in  the  neighbouring  States  this  measure,  however  soon  it  might  be  set  aside, 
had  worked  to  their  disadvantage." — H.  von  Stephan,  op.  cit.,  p.  292. 

'  "  The  encouragement  of  a  particular  business  or  manufacture  in  a  particular 
place  ;  the  better  opposing  of  the  competition  of  a  neighbouring  route ;  tender- 
ness for  existing  difference  in  newly  acquired  districts ;  the  difference  in  the 
price  of  corn  in  a  province,  and  at  an  earlier  date  even  of  money,  weight,  length 
of  the  miles,  as  also,  in  the  case  of  travelling  post  charges,  the  season  of  the 
year  ;  all  those  circumstances  were  often  brought  into  consideration  in  the 
fixing  of  postage  rates." — Ibid.,  p.  29G. 


m      ^:v^^^"'*  JiATfiS  OF  POSTAGE 

that  more  revenue  should  be  obtained  from  the  Post  Office. 
The  Postmaster-General  pledged  himself  to  bring  up  the 
surplus  from  700,000  or  800,000  thalers,  where  it  then  stood, 
to  a  million,  and,  if  possible,  to  1,200,000  thalers.  Accordingly, 
in  1824  the  rates  of  postage  were  revised,  and,  in  general, 
increased.  In  many  cases  the  increase  was  as  much  as  20  per 
cent.,  and  the  tariff  as  a  whole  was  the  highest  ever  fixed  in 
Prussia.  The  chief  characteristics  of  this  important  change 
were  that  letter  and  parcel  rates  were  reckoned  according  to 
the  direct  distance  (Luftlinie)  between  the  post  offices,  and  not 
according  to  the  distance  by  way  of  the  post  routes,  or  the 
time  occupied  on  the  journey,  or  any  of  the  other  considera- 
tions which  had  previously  entered  into  the  reckoning.  All 
special  rates  for  individual  routes  and  places  were  abolished. 
The  new  rates  were,  for  a  single  letter  not  exceeding 
f  loth  (f  ounce)  in  weight — 

Up  to  2  miles 1  silver  groschen 

From    2  miles  to  4  miles       IJ  ,, 

!),       4       ,,  7     ,,  . .         . .         . .  2  ,, 

»     .-7      M         10      „  2J 

'*^':f"' :••  ^'    10-     „        15 3 

..     ...,...;- 15       ^^        20     „  4 

»      20       „        30     „  5 

and  for  each  10  miles  further,  1  silver  groschen  more. 

A  map  of  distances  was  prepared,  and  every  post  office  was 
furnished  with  a  table  compiled  from  this  map,  showing  the 
distances  between  that  office  and  all  other  post  offices  in 
Prussia,  together  with  the  corresponding  rates  of  postage.^ 
Formerly,  direct  rates  of  postage  existed  only  between  a 
limited  number  of  post  offices,  and  letters  for  any  other  places 
were  charged  an  additional  rate  {Binnenporto)  in  respect  of 
the  distance  not  covered  by  the  ordinary  rate.  This  charge 
was  now  abolished.  Each  post  office  could  calculate  the  rate 
to  any  other  post  office  by  means  of  its  table  of  rates.  There 
was,  however,  an  additional  charge  {Landporto)  in  the  case 
of  places  at  which  there  was  no  post  office,  but  which  were 

*  The  ascertainment  of  the  direct  distances  was  commenced  in  1823.  It  was 
completed  in  a  year  and  a  half  (including  two  revisions),  and  a  map  of  distances 
prepared.  There  were  1,386,506  distances  to  measure,  and  the  measuring  was 
done  by  land  surveyors.  The  distances  so  measured  were  tabulated  for  practical 
use  by  postal  officials. — H.  von  Stephan,  op.  cit.,  p.  746,  n.  3  ;  Moch,  Archiv  fiir 
Post  und  Telegraphic,  1893,  p.  2. 


LETTER  POST  IN  GERMANY  103 

situated  on  the  post  routes.  It  was  arranged  that  letters 
might  be  despatched  to  or  from  such  places  so  long  as  the 
post-messenger  was  not  thereby  delayed  on  his  journey,  and 
for  the  forwarding  of  any  such  letters  to  or  from  the  nearest 
post  office  the  lowest  rate  of  postage  was  charged,  reckoned 
as  from  the  nearest  post  office.  Letters  up  to  1  ounce  in 
weight  were  sent  by  riding  post.  Letters  exceeding  1  ounce 
in  weight  were  sent  by  parcel  post  (Fahrpost),  and  were  charged 
the  corresponding  rate,  unless  the  sender  expressly  requested 
transmission  by  riding  post. 

For  the  longer  distances  the  rates  were  higher  than  pre- 
viously. The  rate  for  the  greatest  distance  within  the  Prus- 
sian postal  territory,  which  under  the  old  rates  was  18  silver 
groschen  for  a  single  letter — that  is,  for  a  letter  up  to  f  ounce 
in  weight — was  now  19  silver  groschen.  The  reduction  was 
greatest  for  letters  going  only  short  distances.  The  rate  for 
the  shortest  distances  was  reduced  from  IJ  silver  groschen  to 
1  silver  groschen.  But  the  higher  rates  applied  to  letters 
passing  between  the  great  centres,  and  these  formed  the 
greater  part  of  the  whole  number.  In  addition,  the  progression 
of  the  scale  of  weights  was  made  very  rapid.  From  the  eariiest 
days  .of  the  Post  Office  in  Prussia  the  progression  of  weight 
had  been  by  the  half-ounce,  and  this  had  not  been  changed 
even  in  1766.     The  scale  was  now  made — 

Prom    I  oz.  to    J  oz IJ  times  the  rate 

„       i     »>        In twice  the  rate 

„        I     ,,      1     ,, 2^  times  the  rate 

»»      1        »»      I5  »»        • .  .  •  .  •  . .  3  ,, 

n        I5       >>        IJ    »>  ••  ••  ••  •  .       33  ,, 

•  I       Ij      »>•*■*    »♦         ••  ••  ••  ..4  „ 

and  so  on  for  each  quarter-ounce  a  half  rate  more.* 

The  year  1824  was  also  noteworthy  for  the  experimental 
establishment  in  the  district  of  the  Frankfort-on-Oder  post 
office  of  a  rural  delivery  system.  This  was  the  first  step 
towards  the  general  extension  of  the  rural  delivery  through- 
out Prussia.  The  experiment  was  successful,  and  the  system 
was  extended  in  the  following  year.     For  delivery  by  the  rural 

•The  rates  were  to  be  rounded  up.  One  or  2  pfennigs  were  to  be  counted  as 
3  pfennigs,  4  or  5  pfennigs  as  G  pfennigs,  7  or  8  pfennigs  as  9  pfennigs,  and 
10  or  11  pfennigs  as  1  silver  groschen. 


104  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

letter-carriers  an  additional  charge  was  made  for  each  letter, 
according  to  the  following  scale  : — 

For  distances  not  exceeding  1^  miles        1  silver  groschen 

>»  )•  >»  ^        >i  •  •  •  •  .  .     2  ,, 

>i  »)  >»  "  >>  ••  ••  •  •      ^5  n 

For  the  longer  distances  the  rates  of  1824  were  found  to 
be  oppressive  for  ordinary  letters,  and  burdensome  to  com- 
merce and  literature.  Financially  also  the  increase  was  not 
a  success.  For  1824,  the  last  year  of  the  old  rates,  the  surplus 
was  823,229  thalers,  an  increase  of  100,325  thalers  over  the 
surplus  of  1823.  The  surplus  for  1825,  the  first  year  of  the 
new  rates,  was  1,121,616  thalers,  an  increase  of  298,387 
thalers  over  the  surplus  of  1824.  Apparently,  therefore,  the 
new  rates  had  produced  an  immediate  increase  of  net  revenue. 
This  was,  however,  not  the  case.  While  the  actual  proceeds 
of  postage  in  1824  were  73,152  thalers  greater  than  in  1823, 
the  proceeds  of  postage  in  1825  were  only  80,890  thalers 
greater  than  in  1824.^  The  increased  yield  of  postage  was 
therefore  quite  small.  And  even  this  small  increase  disap- 
peared in  1826.  For  that  year  the  yield  of  postage  was  only 
40,547  thalers  greater  than  in  1825,  and  in  1827  there  was  an 
actual  falling  off  of  41,942  thalers.  The  increase  of  net  revenue 
was  therefore  attributable  to  other  causes.  Thus,  for  example, 
in  1825,  by  some  means  or  other,  a  reduction  of  no  less  than 
136,160  thalers  was  effected  in  the  expenses  of  the  service. 

The  rates  were  soon  found  to  need  amendment.  Changes 
were  made  in  the  subsidiary  rates,  the  rates  for  commercial 
papers,  for  magazines,  etc.,  but  the  letter  rate  remained 
unchanged  until  1844,  when  a  considerable  reduction  was 
made.  The  following  rates  for  a  single  letter  (not  exceeding 
f  ounce  in  weight),  were  established  : — 

Not  exceeding  5  miles 1  silver  groschen 

From  6  miles  to  10  miles        1*  >> 


,,     10 

15 

„      15 

20 

„     20 

30 

„     30 

60 

„      60 

100 

2i 

3 

4 

6 

For   each    further    100    miles    within    the 

Prussian  administration  . .  . .  . .  6 


H.  von  Stephan,  op.  cit.,  pp.  760  and  761. 


LETTER  POST  IN  GERMANY 


lOS 


These  rates  were  applied  to  letters,  printed  matter  sent 
under  band,  and  letters  containing  samples  of  merchandise. 
It  was  estimated  that  this  change  would  reduce  the  gross 
receipts  from  postage  by  700,000  thalers,  and  the  net  revenue 
for  1845  was  estimated  at  700,000  thalers  instead  of  1,400,000 
thalers.  The  actual  decrease  in  1845  in  the  gross  receipts 
from  postage  was,  however,  only  302,563  thalers,  and  the 
actual  falling  off  in  net  revenue  only  346,208  thalers.  The  gross 
revenue  soon  recovered,  and  in  1847  exceeded  that  of  1844.' 

The  Prussian  administration,  while  not  prepared  to  intro- 
duce complete  uniformity  of  rate  irrespective  of  distance,  were 
yet  desirous  of  simplifying  the  rates,  and  of  removing  from 
them  any  trace  of  the  fiscal  tradition,  so  far  as  this  course 
could  be  followed  without  involving  serious  sacrifice  of  net 
revenue.2 

In  September  1848  the  distinction  between  the  letter  rate 
and  the  rate  for  printed  matter  and  documents  was  abolished, 
and  on  the  1st  October  1848  the  following  scale  of  weights  for 
all  letters,  publications,  etc.,  was  introduced,  viz. : — 

Not  exceeding  |  oz 1  rate  (i.e.  1  sgr.) 

From  g  oz.  to  J  oz IJ  „ 

'    „     ^      I)     I  M 2  rates 

>»      f       »»     1   M       •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  2J   ,, 

,,1       ,,     4  ,,      . .         . .         ..         . .         . .  3     ,, 

»     4       „     8  „ ..  4     „ 

and  over  8  oanoes  4  rates,  until  the  charge  was  less  than  double  parcel  rate. 

The  rates  were  still  based  on  the  old  theory  of  distance. 
The  Prussian  administration  feared  that  a  complete  reform 

'  This  does  not  take  into  account  the  normal  yearly  increase,  which  was 
120,000  thalers  under  the  old  rates.  If  that  be  taken  into  account  there  was  still 
a  loss  in  1847.     Thus:— 


Year. 

Probable  Gross  Postage 

Keceipts  under  Old 

Rates. 

Actual  Yield. 

Loss. 

1844 
1845 
1846 
1847 

4,765,000 
4,885,000 
5,005,000 
5,125,000 

4,628,133 
4,325,570 
4,514,338 
4,771,392 

136,867 
559,430 
490,662 
353,608 

Ibid.,  p.  763. 


Ibid.,  p.  762. 


106  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

of  the  rates  on  the  EngHsh  model  would  have  a  disastrous 
effect  on  the  postal  revenue,  and  so  upset  the  equilibrium  of 
the  State  finance.  They  had,  of  course,  the  experience  of 
England  to  guide  them,  and  they  had  not  failed  to  note  the 
large  reduction  of  net  revenue  which  the  adoption  of  the 
reform  of  1840  had  entailed.  In  the  following  year,  however, 
a  great  step  was  taken  in  the  direction  of  the  new  system. 
By  the  law  of  the  21st  December  1849  the  following  simplified 
rates  of  postage,  to  take  effect  from  the  1st  January  1850,  were 
established : — 

For  a  single  letter  not  exceeding  ^  oz.  (1  zolUoth) — 

Up  to  10  miles  . .         . .         . .         . .        1  silver  groschen 

10  miles  to  20  miles  . .         . .         . .         . .       2  ,, 

All  other  distances    . .         . .         . .         . .       3  „ 

For  a  letter  weighing — 

From  J  oz.  to  1  oz 2  rates 

,,  1  ,,  Ij      M      •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  "  »> 

»»       Ig     »»      2      ,,    . .  .  .  . .  . .         4      ,, 

»      2      „     4     „ 5     „ 

»»       4       ,,       o      ,,    . .  . .  . .  • .         O      ,, 

and  so  on,  until  the  rate  became  less  than  the  parcel  rate  (1  zolUoth  =  IJ  loth). 

The  reductions  in  Prussia  were  in  all  cases  made  with 
careful  regard  to  the  possible  financial  results.  The  desire 
to  remove  all  trace  of  the  fiscal  tradition  did  not  extend  to 
a  desire  to  reHeve  the  Post  Office  of  its  revenue-producing 
function,  and  the  actual  loss  of  net  revenue  which  resulted 
in  Prussia  from  the  introduction  of  cheap  postage  was  much 
less  than  the  loss  in  England. ^  The  set-back  to  the  revenue 
consequent  on  the  reduction  of  1844  was  recovered  in  1847  ; 
the  set-back  consequent  on  the  reduction  of  the  rates  of 
value  letters  and  parcels  in  1848  (on  the  average  some  66§ 
per  cent.)  was  recovered  in  1852 ;  and  that  occasioned  by  the 
reform  of  the  1st  January  1850  was  recovered  in  1853.  But  the 
reform  of  1850,  which  retained  the  three  distance  charges, 
was  far  from  being  a  complete  reform  of  the  character  of 
that  in  England. 

'  "Die  preussische  Postverwaltung  war  bei  Einfiihrung  der  weitgreifenden 
Taxermassigungen  mit  grosser  Vorsicht  und  mit  weiser  Berechnung  aller  in 
Betracht  kommenden  Vorstande  schrittweise  zu  Werto  gegangen  und  hatte 
die  Erleichteruiigen  ohne  bedeutender  Opfer  aus  der  Postkasse  erkauft." — 
Moch,  Archiv  fiir  Post  und  Telegraphic,  1893,  p.  40. 


LETTER  POST  IN  GERMANY  107 

No  change  of  importance  was  made  in  the  ordinary  letter 
rate  between  1850  and  1860.  In  the  latter  year  the  maximum 
weight  for  packets  passing  by  letter  post  was  fixed  at 
half  a  pound  (15  loth).i  A  further  step  towards  simplicity 
and  reduction  of  the  letter  rate  was  taken  in  1861, ^  when 
the  weight  scale  was  revised  and  the  three  steps  established 
in  1849  aboHshed,  two  only  being  substituted.  Letters  up 
to  half  an  ounce  in  weight  were  to  pass  at  the  single 
rate,  and  letters  exceeding  that  weight  at  double  rate.  The 
three  distance  zones  were  maintained. 

The  special  fee  for  delivery  which  was  collected  from  the 
addressee  by  the  post  office  of  destination  was  still  in  force. 
It  was,  of  course,  in  effect,  an  increase  of  the  normal  rate 
of  postage,  and  as  such  it  lay  as  a  heavy  burden  on  the 
letter  traffic.  In  the  case  of  packets  of  printed  matter  not 
exceeding  half  an  ounce  in  weight  it  amounted  to  100  per 
cent,  on  the  normal  rate.  It  was,  moreover,  disproportionate 
to  the  cost  of  the  service  of  delivery. 3  Since  1850  the  Prus- 
sian administration  had  incessantly  urged  the  abolition  of 
the  charge.  Special  charges  for  delivery  had  already  been 
abolished  in  England,  in  France,  and  in  other  of  the  larger 
States.  The  efforts  of  the  administration  were,  however, 
frustrated  by  the  Minister  for  Finance,  who  was  unable,  from 
regard  to  the  needs  of  the  national  exchequer,  to  abandon 
the  revenue  obtained  from  this  source.  These  financial 
considerations  delayed  the  abolition  of  the  charge  by  at  least 
a  decade. 4  The  existence  of  the  charge  was  found  to  be 
especially  unfortunate  in  regard  to  foreign  letters,  since  its 
collection  was  regarded  by  foreign  administrations  as  an 
addition  to  the  ordinary  postage  and  consequently  an  evasion 
of  the  terms  of  agreements  under  which  foreign  rates  had 
been  fixed.  The  charge  was  ultimately  abolished  in  1862.5 
In  order  to  avoid  inconvenient  reduction  of  revenue,  it  was 
arranged  that  the  abolition  should  be  effected  gradually :  for 
certain  classes  of  traffic  as  from  the  date  of  the  coming  into 
force  of  the  Act,  for  other  classes  as  from  the  1st  July  1863, 
and  for  the  remainder  as  from  the  1st  July  1864. 

'  Regulation  of  21st  December  1860.  "  Law  of  2l8t  March  1861. 

3  Moch,  Archiv  fUr  Fost  und  Telegraphie,  1893,  p.  42. 
*  Ibid.  5  Law  of  IGth  September  1862. 


108  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

The  political  events  of  the  years  1864  and  1866  occasioned 
far-reaching  modifications  of  the  postal  service  in  Germany* 
After  the  expulsion  of  Austria  from  the  German  league, 
Prussia  took  over  the  administration  of  the  postal  service 
in  the  duchies  of  the  Elbe.  Prussia  had  also  absorbed  the 
kingdom  of  Hanover.  The  territory  of  the  Prussian  postal 
administration  was  thus  largely  extended ;  and  in  addition 
the  Prince  of  Thurn  and  Taxis  relinquished  in  favour  of 
the  Crown  of  Prussia  the  control  which  he  had  exercised 
over  the  postal  service  in  eighteen  States.^ 

The  North-German  Union  was  established  in  1867,  and 
the  postal  arrangements  for  the  whole  territory  of  the 
Union  were  unified.  Up  to  this  time  ten  independent 
postal  administrations  had  existed  in  this  territory,^  and 
the  rates  of  these  administrations  differed  in  various  par- 
ticulars. The  Prussian  rates  were  applied  temporarily  to  all 
postal  traffic  passing  between  the  old  and  new  Prussian 
territories,  and  the  rates  of  the  Union  service  were  applied 
to  traffic  passing  between  the  territories  forming  the  North- 
German  Union. 

The  continuance  of  these  conditions  was  not  consistent 
with  a  unified  administration  of  the  postal  affairs  of  the 
whole  North-German  Union,  and  a  reform  of  the  rates 
became  necessary.  Germany  was  in  1867  almost  the  only 
one  of  the  great  States  of  the  world  which  still  maintained 
a  scale  of  rates  of  postage  for  letters  graduated  according 
to  distance.  Prussia  had  already  repeatedly  endeavoured  to 
introduce  the  principle  of  uniformity  of  rate  irrespective  of 
distance  which  had  been  adopted  by  all  others,  or  at  least  to 
secure  further  simplification  ;  but  advance  in  this  direction 
had  always  been  hindered  by  financial  considerations. 3  The 
political  developments  now  opened  the  way  for  a  thorough 
reorganization  of  the  rates,  and  this  was  achieved  by  the 
law  of  the  4th  November  1867.  This  law,  which  took 
effect  from  the  1st  January  1868,  established  uniform 
rates   for  letters,   irrespective   of   distance,   of  the   following 

^  Law  of  16th  February  1867.     See  infra,  Appendix,  p.  355. 
^  Prussia,  Hanover,  the   two  Mecklenburgs,  Oldenburg,  Brunswick,  Saxony, 
Hamburg,  Bremen,  Lubeck,  and  the  Thurn  and  Taxis  posts. 
3  Moch,  Archiv  fiir  Post  und  Telegraphie,  1893,  p.  44. 


LETTER  POST  IN   GERMANY  109 

amounts — 1  sgr.  (=  10  pf.)  for  letters  not  exceeding  half 
an  ounce  in  weight,  and  2  sgr.  for  all  letters  of  greater 
weight. 

After  the  refounding  of  the  German  Empire  in  1870,  there 
was  fresh  legislation  in  regard  to  the  Post  Office.^  Among 
other  changes,  the  limit  of  weight  for  the  single  letter  was 
fixed  at  15  grammes,  and  the  limit  of  maximum  weight  at 
half  a  pound.  This  law  also  abolished  the  charge  for  rural 
delivery,  a  long-desired  reform  which  had  been  frequently- 
urged  upon  the  Reichstag.  In  order  to  assist  further  the 
interests  of  residents  in  the  country,  it  was  arranged  that 
on  payment  of  a  monthly  fee  of  5  sgr.  letters  might  be 
handed  to  and  delivered  by  the  post  messenger,  in  a  closed 
pouch,  at  places  on  his  route. 

The  rates  established  under  this  law  have  remained  in 
operation  substantially  unchanged  up  to  the  present  time. 
The  most  important  modification  was  made  in  1900,  when 
the  maximum  limit  of  weight  of  the  single  letter  was  raised 
from  15  to  20  grammes.  Under  these  rates  the  letter  post 
has  developed  continuously.  In  1872  the  total  number  of 
letters  passing  by  post  within  the  territory  of  the  Imperial 
Post  Office  was  422  millions,  and  in  1910  the  number  had 
increased  to  2,026  millions.  As  in  other  countries,  the  letter 
rate  has  proved  extremely  profitable.  The  net  revenue  of 
the  Imperial  Post  Office  in  1872  amounted  to  4*7  million 
Marks,  and  in  1910  to  88  million  Marks.  In  Germany, 
however,  the  railways  are  State-owned,  and  the  Imperial 
Post  Office  is  not  required  to  pay  to  the  railways  a  full 
equivalent  for  the  services  performed.  The  value  of  the 
service  performed  by  the  railways  on  behalf  of  the  Post 
Office  for  which  no  charge  is  made  against  the  Post  Office 
is  not  definitely  known.^  The  newspaper  traffic,  the  parcel 
post,  and  the  Imperial  Telegraph  Service  are  carried  on 
at  heavy  loss.  The  Post  Office  also  performs  numerous 
services,  such  as  those  in  connection  with  the  National 
Insurance  schemes,  for  which  it  receives  no  monetary  credit ; 
and  there  is  no  doubt  that  taken  by  itself   the   letter   traffic 

»  Law  of  28th  October  1871. 

*  For  1906  it  has  been  estimated  at  41,693,017  M.     P.  Ullrich,  Die  Finanzm 
der  Reichs-Post  und  Telegraphen  Verwaltung,  Stettin,  1913,  p.  54,  n.  5. 


110  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

is  largely  profitable  at  the  existing  rates,  even  when  full 
allowance  has  been  made  for  all  legitimate  charges  against 
the  service. 

Note  on  Eueal  Delivery 

Until  the  eighteen-thirties  there  was  no  State  provision 
for  the  letter  traffic  in  country  districts.  Residents  in 
the  country  must  deliver  all  their  letters  at,  or  fetch  them 
from,  the  nearest  post  office,  which  was  done  on  market-day 
or  by  messengers.  In  1824  a  beginning  was  made  in  Prussia 
by  the  introduction  experimentally  of  a  delivery  service  at 
certain  post  offices.  In  the  following  years  the  number  of 
rural  deliverers  and  the  number  of  posting- boxes  in  the 
villages  were  increased,  and  a  uniform  delivery  fee  {Land- 
bestellgeld)  of  1  silver  groschen  instituted.  The  delivery  fee 
was  abolished  on  the  1st  January  1872  (law  of  28th  October, 
1871).  This  meant  the  abandonment  of  a  yearly  revenue 
of  IJ  million  Marks. 

In  spite  of  the  increase  in  the  number  of  post  offices  there 
were  still  in  1880  as  many  as  19  million  people,  the  greater 
half  of  the  whole  nation,  and  17,000  localities,  outside  the 
limits  of  the  postal  service.' 

In  1880  a  great  step  forward  was  taken.  The  number  of 
rural  deliverers  was  largely  increased,  and  also  the  number 
of  postal  stations  in  the  country  {Posthulfstellen).^  A  daily 
delivery  was  extended  to  the  greater  number  of  places,  the 
rural  routes  in  most  cases  being  so  arranged  that  the  de- 
liverer returned  by  the  same  route,  thereby  enabling  an 
answer  to  be  sent  the  same  day  to  letters  received  on  the 
outward  journey.3 

'  J.  Jung,  Entwickelung  des  deutschen  Post  und  Telegraphenwesen  in  den 
letzten  25  Jahren,  Leipzig,  1893,  p.  45. 

=  The  following  table  (J.  Jung,  loo.  cit.)  shows  the  increase  in  the  number  of 
rural  deliverers : — 

1868  1870  1875  1880  1885  1891 

8,021  8,334         11,405         11,480         20,386         25,649 

3  In  a  number  of  cases  the  deliverer  was  provided  with  a  vehicle  for  the  sake  of 
speed,  and  worked  out  from  the  railway.  In  1898  there  were  2,365  such 
services. — Handworterbuch  der  Staatsiuissenschaft,  Jena,  1901,  p.  137. 


II 

THE    RATE    FOR    NEWSPAPERS 


NEWSPAPER    POST    IN    ENGLAND 

In  England  newspapers  have  enjoyed  special  privileges  in 
regard  to  transmission  by  post  since  about  the  middle  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  The  origin  of  the  privilege  is  to  be 
looked  for  in  the  special  circumstances  under  which  the  early 
newspapers,  and  the  newsletters  and  newsbooks  from  which 
they  were  derived,  were  issued,  and  the  means  by  which  the 
news  included  in  them  was  obtained. 

At  that  period  the  ^ost  was  the  chief  means  by  which 
news  could  be  collected  or  distributed.  The  newsletters 
were  distributed  by  post,^  and  the  news  which  they  con- 
tained was  for  the  most  part  obtained  through  the  agency  of 
the  Post  Office  from  correspondents  in  various  parts  of  the 
country.  It  was,  indeed,  an  important  part  of  the  function 
of  the  Post  Office  to  furnish  news  to  the  Court,  and  to  the 
other  departments  of  State,  as  well  as  to  the  general  public. ^ 

*  "  There  was  a  profession  of  '  news  writers,'  or  correspondents,  who  collected 
such  scraps  of  information  as  they  could  from  various  sources,  and  for  a  sub- 
scription of  three  or  four  pounds  per  annum  sent  them  every  post-day  to  their 
employers  in  the  country." — A.  Andrews,  The  History  of  British  Journalism, 
London,  1859,  vol.  i.  p.   14. 

=  E.g.,  "  To  Mr.  Neale,  Deale,  27  Nov.  1674. 

"  .  .  You  should  give  me  a  Constant  Accompt  (as  m*^  Lodge  was  wont  to  doe) 
of  all  Newes  that  happens  in  your  Parts.  It  is  Expected  from  me  at  Whitehall, 
and  much  wondered  at,  y*  my  officers  doe  not  give  me  y«  first,  and  best  Accompt 
of  all  that  Passes,  all  Newes,  Comeing  (Probably)  first  to  theire  hands.  I  Pray  be 
Carefull,  and  punctuall  herein  hereafter.  I  shall  be  ready,  in  all  things  (as  I  have 
bin)  to  shew  myself 

"Y",  &c." 
— Documents  from  Peover  Hall,  British  Official  Records. 

Ill 


112  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

In  1659  General  Monck  appointed  Henry  Muddiroan,  a 
journalist  who  had  already  issued  the  Parliamentary  In- 
telligencer and  the  Mercurius  Publicus,  to  write  on  behalf 
of  the  Koyalist  cause.  In  consideration  of  his  services  he 
was,  after  the  Restoration,  given  the  privilege  of  free  trans- 
mission for  his  letters.^  This  gave  him  an  advantage  over 
other  journalists,  and  his  newsletters  and  newsbooks  became 
extremely  popular.  In  1663,  however,  he  was  supplanted 
by  Roger  L'E strange,  a  Royalist  who  had  not  to  that  time 
been  properly  recompensed  for  his  faithfulness.  L'Estrange 
was  an  able  writer,  who  after  the  passing  of  the  Licensing 
Act  of  1662  had  been  requested  to  draw  up  proposals  for 
the  regulation  of  the  Press.  As  a  reward  for  his  services -in 
that  connection  he  was  given  the  office  of  Surveyor  of  the 
Press,  his  remuneration  being  the  sole  privilege  of  writing 
and  publishing  newsbooks  and  advertisement.  L'Estrange 
also  secured  the  privilege  of  free  postage  from  Lady  Chester- 
field, one  of  the  farmers  of  the  Post  Office.^ 

L'Estrange's  privilege  put  an  end  to  Muddiman's  news- 
books,  but  in  no  way  interfered  with  his  newsletters  and  his 
right  to  free  postage.     He   was   able,   therefore,  to  continue 

"The  Post  Office  Packets  in  those  days  were  carriers  of  news  as  well  as  of  the 
mails.  The  officers  had  instructions  to  record  most  carefully  in  their  journals 
full  details  of  any  events  of  public  importance  occurring  in  the  countries  which 
they  visited.  These  journals,  which  frequently  contained  news  later  and  more 
authentic  than  any  which  had  yet  reached  London,  were  sent  up  from  Falmouth 
immediately  after  the  arrival  of  the  Packets,  and  lay  at  the  Post  Office  open  to 
the  inspection  of  the  merchants." — A.  H.  Norway,  History  of  the  Post  Office 
Packet  Service,  London,  1895,  p.  37. 

'•An  old  instruction  was  renewed  in  1812,  that  all  postmasters  should  transmit 
to  me  (the  Secretary),  for  the  information  of  his  Majesty's  Postmaster-General,  an 
immediate  account  of  all  remarkable  occurrences  within  their  districts,  that  the 
same  may  be  communicated,  if  necessary,  to  his  Majesty's  principal  Secretaries  of 
State.  This  has  not  been  invariably  attended  to,  and  I  am  commanded  by  his  Lord- 
ship to  say,  that  henceforward  it  will  be  expected  of  every  Deputy." — Cited  (without 
giving  source)  by  J.  W.  Hyde,  A  Hundred  Years  by  Post,  London,  1891,  p.  91. 

"The  mail-coach  it  was  that  distributed  over  the  face  of  the  land,  like  the 
opening  of  apocalyptic  vials,  the  heartshaking  news  of  Trafalgar,  of  Salamanca, 
of  Vittoria,  of  Waterloo." — De  Quincey,  The  English  Mail-Coach. 

'  "  As  it  seems  clear  that  the  '  Remonstrance  '  (?7ie  Remonstrance  and  Address 
of  the  Army)  was  framed  by  Clarges,  Henry  Muddiman  must  have  settled  its 
wording  and  final  form,  as  he  did  that  of  many  other  documents.  .  .  .  For  this 
reason,  after  the  Restoration,  he  became  sole  privileged  journalist  of  the  kingdom, 
and  was  granted  the  privilege  of  free  postage  for  his  letters  like  the  officers  of 
State." — J.  B.  Williams,  A  History  of  English  Journalism,  London,  1908,  p.  176. 

'^  Calendar  of  State  Papers,  Charles  II,  vol.  139,  No.  61. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN   ENGLAND  113 

his   newsletters,  and   did   so   with   great  success.     After  the 
Restoration  Muddiman  had  attached   himself  to  Sir  Edward 
Nicholas,  one  of  the  principal  Secretaries  of  State,  and  his 
Under-Secretary,   Joseph    Williamson,    from    whom   he   had 
been  in  the  habit  of  obtaining  part  of  his  news.     WiUiamson 
was  a  grasping  man,  who  became  jealous  of  the  success  of 
the  newswriters,  and  finding  that  L'Estrange  was  unpopular, 
conceived    the    idea   of    getting   the    control    of   the    whole 
^business   into   his  own  hands.     He  therefore   suggested  that 
Muddiman    should    go    to    Oxford,    where    the    Court    had 
removed  owing  to  the  plague,  and  publish  a  new  journal  in 
opposition  to  L'Estrange.     While  Muddiman  was  at  Oxford, 
Williamson  would   obtain  by    an    agent  in  the  Post  Office, 
James  Hickes,  the  names   of   all   his   correspondents.^     The 
plan  was  eminently  successful,  and  on  the  16th  November  1665 
the  Oxford  Gazette  appeared,  to  be  transformed  a  few  months 
later,  with  its  twenty-fourth  issue  (5th  February  1665-6),  into 
the  Lojidon  Gazette.     Muddiman,  however,  gained  knowledge 
of    Williamson's   designs    regarding  his   correspondents,   and 
on   the   8th   February   1666    left    the   Gazette.     Williamson 
thereupon   took   control   of    its    pubHcation,    and,    with    the 
assistance    of    Hickes,  continued    its    issue.     He    appointed 
correspondents  in   all    the    leading    seaports,   and  in   a  few 
other   EngHsh   towns,    and   also    in    continental   cities,   who 
were  required   to   furnish    accounts    of    passing   events.     In 
return  for  their  services  the  correspondents  received  regularly 
copies  of  the  Gazette.     Both  the  letters  from  correspondents 
and   the   Gazettes  which  were    their  reward  passed  free   of 
postage.2     Tj^g  regular?  supply  of  a  copy  of  the  Gazette  was 
so  great  a  privilege  that   it   was  often  regarded  as  sufficient 
wages  for  a  post-messenger  or  even  a  deputy-postmaster.3 

*  J.  B.  Williams,  A  History  of  English  Journalism,  p.  190. 

'  Caleyidar  of  State  Papers  {Domestic  Series),  1665-6,  p.  viii. 

3  "  I  find  that  the  South  Wales  maile  is  much  retarded  in  your  Stage  ;  parti- 
cularly that  yo'  riding  servant  calles  at  severall  places  by  y®  way  ;  and  that  you 
allow  him  noe  other  wages,  but  what  heo  getts  (by  a  Gazette  News-letter,  w<=*»  you 
give  him  y<=  benefitt  of)  from  severall  Gentlemen  near  y^  Koade,  and  this  hinders 
y^  due  course  of  the  post,  not  only  to  y«  Damage  and  discreditt  of  y*  office,  but 
to  y*^  prejudice  of  publique  businesso  ;  it  is  much  complained  of  and  I  canot  longer 
dispence  with  it ;  wherefore  I  Give  you  this  freindly  admonicon  and  remaine 

"  Yo',  etc. 

"  Mr.  Davyes,  Feb.  8th,  1672."— Documents  from  Peover  Hall,  British  Official 
Records. 

9 


114  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

This  became  a  recognized  practice  before  the  end  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  and  the  privilege  was  regarded  as 
forming  part  of  the  ordinary  emoluments  of  the  deputy- 
postmasters.^  The  Gazettes  were  sent  out  from  London  by 
officers  known  as  Clerks  of  the  Koad,  under  the  frank  of 
these  officers ;  and  the  privilege  of  franking  these  Gazettes 
became  extended  so  that  the  Clerks  of  the  Road  ultimately 
became  entitled  to  frank  any  newspaper  to  whomsoever 
addressed. 2  In  the  eighteenth  century  the  Clerks  of  the 
Road  developed  the  exercise  of  their  privilege.  They  ac- 
cepted subscriptions  and  undertook  the  supply  of  newspapers 
generally  throughout  the  country.  They  became,  in  fact, 
newsagents.  Their  newspaper  business  was  something  quite 
apart  from  their  duties  as  officers  of  the  Post  Office.  It 
was  conducted  in  a  separate  building,  by  a  separate  staff, 
and  they  found  it  very  lucrative.3  The  postage  on  news- 
papers at  the  letter  rate  would  have  been  prohibitive.  Hence 
newspapers  either  went  under  frank  or  did  not  go  by  post 
at  all,  and  the  whole  business  of  distribution  through  the 
post  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Clerks  of  the  Road.     Their 

♦*  I  am  clearly  of  your  opinion,  that  Hereford  and  the  Hay  is  y^  best  roade  for 
the  Pembroke  Maile,  the  onely  difficulty  will  be  to  bring  you  and  Mr.  Phillpotts 
to  reason.  .  .  . 

"  1  pray  consider  these  2  Points,  that  y«^  Hay  being  in  your  Branch  will 
much  Encrease  your  share,  and  it  is  easier  to  send  thither  than  to  Abergaveny 
— if  you  will  joyne  Issue  in  this  Proposall  I  will  give  y^  Contrey  y**  Satisfac- 
tion to  turne  the  Roade  that  Way  ;  and  by  y^  tyme  I  have  your  answer  I  shall 
be  ready,  to  give  directions  for  the  Change  ;  you  must  provide  a  fitt  person,  to 
keepe  the  office  at  Hay  and  for  his  Encouragem*  I  will  send  him  a  Gazette  by  every 
Post,  few  of  ye  By  offices  expect  more,  and  some  make  great  Suite  and  would 
pay  money  for  the  Imployment.  I  pray  close  w'^^  me  herein,  being  desirous  to 
Continue— I  pray  give  me  your  opinion  of  sending  y«  Maile  into  Wales  3  tymes 
a  weeke,  as  I  doe  to  all  other  places. 

"  I  am,  Y'^,  etc. 

'♦Mr.  Awbrey,  Brecon,  Ist  April,  1G75."— Documents  from  Peover  Hall, 
British  Official  Records. 

'  H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post  Office,  p.  50. 

=  Tenth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  on  Fees  and  Emoluments,  1788,  p.  28. 

"  For  Post  Office  purposes  the  kingdom  was  divided  into  six  roads — the 
North  Road,  the  Chester  or  Holyhead  Road,  the  Western  Road,  the  Kent  Road, 
and  the  Roads  to  Bristol  and  to  Yarmouth  ;  and  these  roads  were  presided  over 
by  a  corresponding  number  of  clerks  in  London,  whose  duty  it  was  to  sort 
the  letters  and  to  tax  them  with  the  proper  amount  of  postage." — H.  Joyce, 
ibid.,  p.  47;  cf.  infra,  Appendix  B,  p.  404. 

3  Eighteenth  Report  of  Commissioners  of  Revenue  Inquiry,  1829,  Appx.,  p.  486. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  115 

profits  were  in  part  applied  to  the  discharge  of  certain  pay- 
ments— the  salaries  of  some  of  the  inferior  clerks  and  some 
charitable  payments — in  connection  with  the  Post  Ofiice.^ 

In  1764  the  privilege  was  explicitly  recognized  by  statute,^ 
but  the  same  Act  gave  a  severe  blow  to  the  whole  system 
by  authorizing  members  of  Parliament  to  send  newspapers 
free  of  postage.  The  members  did  not  confine  the  exercise 
of  the  privilege  to  newspapers  sent  by  or  to  them  for  their 
own  use,  but  granted  orders  for  free  postage  to  booksellers 
and  newsagents  on  a  hberal  scale.3     The  booksellers  naturally 

'  "  That  the  six  Clerks  of  the  Road  are  also  allowed  to  frank  newspapers  from 
the  London  office. 

"That  the  newspapers  franked  by  them  are  not  included  in  any  of  the 
accounts  of  Deductions  in  respect  of  Franks.  That  the  profits  arising  from  their 
franking  newspapers  may  amount  to  £3,000  or  £4,000  p.  ann.,  and  that  a 
considerable  allowance  is  made  thereout  to  the  Comptroller,  Deputy- Comptroller, 
By  Night  Clerk  and  six  assistants ;  all  of  whom  as  well  as  the  six  Clerks  of  the 
Roads  would  without  such  advantage  be  very  insufficiently  provided  for." — 
Evidence  of  Anthony  Todd,  Secretary  to  the  Post  Office.  Report  of  Com- 
mittee appointed  to  enquire  into  the  several  frauds  and  abuses  in  relation  to  the 
sending  or  receiving  of  letters  and  parcels  free  from  the  Duty  of  Postage  {Commons 
Journal,  March  28,  1764). 

'*  The  Profits  derived  by  the  Clerks  of  the  Road  from  the  privilege  of  sending 
Newspapers  into  the  Country  free  of  Postage,  were  so  considerable  that  they 
were  not  only  able  to  make  a  good  Provision  for  their  Families  but  also  to  pay 
thereout  an  Annual  Sum  of  £1,300  to  Officers  and  Clerks  in  this  Dept.  in  Aid 
of  their  Salaries,  which  on  that  Account  were  proportionately  small  from  the 
Public  ;  and  this  Situation  of  Clerk  of  the  Roads  was  looked  up  to  as  the  Reward 
of  their  long  and  arduous  Labour  in  the  subordinate  Stations  of  the  Office. 
Twenty  years  before,  of  the  sum  of  £8,660  paid  to  the  39  Officers  of  the  Inland 
Dept.,  £2,060  was  paid  by  the  Public  and  £6,600  from  the  profits  on  the  circula- 
tion of  newspapers." — Tenth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  on  Fees  and  Emolu- 
ments, 1788,  p.  28.  »  4  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  24. 

3  "  The  Produce  of  this  Privilege  has  long  been  decreasing,  and  is  now  reduced 
to  one-third  the  above  sum  from  the  operation  of  an  Act  of  1764  by  which 
members  of  both  Houses  were  empowered  to  have  Newspapers,  Votes,  and  all 
other  printed  Parliamentary  Papers,  sent  by  post  in  their  Names,  free  from 
Postage,  upon  a  written  Notice  of  the  Direction  of  such  Papers  being  sent  to 
the  Postmaster-General  by  the  respective  Members,  whose  names  were  to  be 
used  instead  of  the  former  Mode  of  franking  Newspapers  the  same  as  Letters. 
The  Printers,  News  Sellers,  and  others,  availing  themselves  of  this  Privilege, 
have  obtained  numerous  Orders,  readily  granted,  under  the  Persuasion  of  in- 
creasing the  Stamp  Revenue.  The  present  Number  of  Orders  in  the  Office  is 
6,751,  and  the  Number  of  Newspapers  sent  weekly  by  the  Post  in  Consequence 
thereof  is  47,017 ;  these  Dealers  are  enabled  to  supply  their  Customers  in  the 
Country  at  a  cheaper  Rate  than  the  Clerks  in  the  Office  can,  who  are  loaded  with 
Out  Payments  from  their  Profits,  and  are  obliged  to  purchase  their  Papers  at  an 
advanced  Price  from  an  Officer  appointed  by  the  Postmaster-General  to  supply 
them." — Tenth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  on  Fees  and  Emoluments,  1788,  p.  29. 


116  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

cut  the  prices  charged  by  the  Clerks  of  the  Boad.  The 
charge  of  the  latter  had  been  £5  a  year  for  a  daily  paper, 
and  £2  10s.  a  year  for  an  evening  paper.  The  booksellers 
in  1770  advertised  a  charge  of  £4:  a  year  for  a  daily  paper, 
and  £2  a  year  for  an  evening  paper. ^  As  a  result  a  large 
part  of  the  traffic  went  to  the  booksellers,  and  the  profits  of 
the  Clerks  of  the  Road  fell  so  rapidly  that  it  v^as  soon  found 
necessary  to  relieve  them  of  the  charges  on  their  profits.^ 

Efforts  were  made  to  check  the  abuse  of  the  privilege  of 
franking  of  newspapers  held  by  members  of  Parliament  under 
the  Act  of  1764.  An  Act  of  1802  (42  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  63) 
required  not  only  that  the  member  should  sign  the  news- 
paper packets,  but  that  the  whole  superscription,  together 
with  the  date  of  posting  and  the  name  of  the  post-town  in 
which  the  paper  was  intended  to  be  posted,  should  be  in 
his  handwriting.  The  member  must,  moreover,  himself  be 
in  the  post-town  where  the  paper  was  posted  on  the  date 
shown  on  the  paper.  These  regulations  were  not  long 
maintained.  They  were  probably  too  stringent  to  be  en- 
forced, and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  the  appearance  on 
the  newspaper  or  wrapper  of  any  member's  name,  whether 
written  by  himself  or  by  any  other  person,  or  even  printed, 
was  sufficient  to  secure  free  transmission  through  the  post. 
In  1825  the  conditions  were  definitely  repealed,  and  news- 
papers became  legally  entitled  to  free  transmission  by  post. 3 

There  were  reasons  why  the  Government  and  the  Post 
Office  did  not  suppress  the  extension  of  the  privilege 
accorded  to  newspapers.     At   this  time  heavy  general   taxes 

»  A.  Andrews,  The  History  of  British  Journalism^  London,  1859,  vol.  i. 
pp.  210-11. 

'  *'  The  Postmaster-General,  sensible  of  this  Diminution,  lately  directed  the 
Payments  thereout  to  the  other  Officers  and  Clerks  in  the  Office  to  be  discon- 
tinued, and  reimbursed  some  of  them  out  of  the  Revenue ;  but  this  is  not  the 
only  Expence  to  which  the  Public  is  subjected  by  the  Increase  of  these  Orders. 
The  Number  of  Newspapers  to  be  forwarded  every  Night  is  now  so  great,  that 
...  a  separate  Office  is  allotted  .  .  .  and  18  Extra  Persons  are  employed,  at  an 
Annual  Expence  of  £400,  to  perform  the  Duty  of  sorting  and  packing  up  the 
Newspapers  ;  besides  it  is  in  Proof  that  Letters  and  written  Papers  are  fre- 
quently enclosed  in  them,  by  which  the  Revenue  is  defrauded,  without  a 
Possibility  of  Prevention,  while  the  present  Mode  continues ;  as  the  number  is 
by  far  too  great  to  admit  of  a  general  Search  for  Enclosures." — Tenth  Report 
of  the  Commissioners  on  Fees  and  Emoluments,  1788,  p.  29. 

3  6  Geo.  IV,  cap.  68,  §  10. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN   ENGLAND  117 

were  imposed  on  newspapers — the  paper  duty,  the  advertise- 
ment duty,  and  the  stamp  duty. 

These  charges  had  been  first  imposed  in  the  early  years  of 
the  eighteenth  century,  when  newspapers  were  changing 
character,  and  they  were  in  the  nature  of  restrictions  on  the 
Hberty  of  the  Press,  a  continuation  of  the  restrictions  which 
had  previously  been  maintained  by  means  of  Licensing  Acts.^ 
Newspapers  were  at  that  time  ceasing  to  be  mere  chronicles 
of  events,  and  were  beginning  to  publish  comments  and  to 
criticize  persons  and  parties.  A  Bill  to  impose  a  tax  of  Id. 
a  copy  on  all  periodical  publications  was  brought  into  Parlia- 
ment in  1701,  but  was  abandoned  owing  to  the  opposition 
of  the  newspaper  proprietors,  who  represented  that  they  were 
in  the  habit  of  selling  their  papers  at  a  ^d.  a  copy.^  In  1712 
a  message  from  the  Crown,  adverting  to  the  undesirable 
character  of  the  new  development  of  newspaper  enterprise, 
recommended  that  a  remedy  be  found  without  delay.  The 
result  was  the  imposition  of  a  stamp  duty  of  Jd.  the  sheet 
on  all  newspapers  of  a  sheet  and  a  half. 3  The  privileges  with 
regard  to  their  transmission  by  post  were,  however,  in  no 
way  interfered  with. 

In  1776  the  tax  was  raised  to  IJd.  a  copy,  in  1789  to  2d., 
in  1794  to  2Jd.,  and  in  1815  to  4d.,  at  which  amount  it  stood 
until  1836.  In  1819  onerous  restrictions  with  regard  to  regis- 
tration, bonds,  and  sureties  were  imposed,  mainly  with  the 
view  of  preventing  the  issue  of  publications  of  undesirable 
character.4 

I  "Was  there  no  way  by  which,  without  the  necessity  of  constant  contention, 
private  men  might  be  prevented  from  using  the  Press  to  make  their  opinions 
public  ?  The  pamphleteers  were  not  rich,  but  they  were  often  persons  of  educa- 
tion, and  not  penniless.  When  only  a  few  copies  of  their  writings  were  wanted 
they  could  pay  for  them,  but  now  that  reading  was  become  more  common,  and 
that  great  numbers  of  copies  were  printed,  the  cost  had,  to  a  great  extent,  to  be 
paid  by  the  readers.  If  these  sheets  could  be  taxed  their  distribution  might 
become  difficult,  and  when  any  one  attempted  to  evade  the  tax  he  could  be 
punished,  not  as  a  libeller,  but  as  a  smuggler." — Collet  Dobson  Collet,  History 
of  the  Taxes  on  Knowledge,  London,  1899,  vol.  i.  p.  7. 

=  Chambers's  EncyclopcBdia,  London,  1908,  vol.  vii.  p.  473. 

3  "There  was  no  doubt  but  that,  in  the  first  instance,  the  stamp  duty  upon 
newspapers  had  been  imposed  for  political  purposes." — Attorney-General, 
26th  March  1855,  Pari.  Debates  [Commons),  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  1129. 

<  "  Whereas  miny  papers  containing  observations  upon  Public  Acts  tending  to 
excite  the  hatred  of  the  public  to  the  constitution  of  this  realm,  and  also 
vilifying  our  holy  religion,  have  lately  been  published  in  great  numbers,  and 


118  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

In   consideration   of  these   charges   the   Government  were 
prepared  to  allow  free  transmission  by  post.     Moreover,  the 
franking  privilege  of  the  Clerks  of  the   Eoad  was   favoured 
as  an  economy.     They  argued  that  as  these  officers  received 
considerable  sums  from  their  newspaper  business  their  salaries 
from  the  Post   Office  were  correspondingly  low,  and  if  the 
newspaper    business   were    taken  from    them    it    would    be 
necessary  for  the  Post  Office  to  make  good  the  loss  in  in- 
come which  they  would  suffer.^     It  would   seem   that  there 
was  at  this  time  no  conception  of  charging  a  rate  of  postage 
on   newspapers ;    and   so  far    the   authorities   were   right   in 
thinking  the  abolition  of  the  privilege  would  cause  an  addition 
to  the  expenses  of  the  Post  Office,  in  compensation  for  which 
there  would  be  no  increase  in  revenue.     Whatever  were  the 
taxes  paid  to  other  departments,  it  was  clearly  in  the  financial 
interest   of  the   Post   Office,  so   long  as   newspapers  passed 
free  by  post,  to  retain  a  system  which  enabled  certain  of  its 
officers  to  obtain  part  of  their  income  from  special  arrange- 
ments for  the  distribution  of  the  newspapers,  instead  of  from 
Post  Office  funds. 

The  Clerks  of  the  Koad  still  held  an  advantage  over  the 
ordinary  newsagents.  The  local  postmasters  acted  as  their 
agents,  and  they  had,  moreover,  the  important  privilege  of 
posting  their  papers  later.  Newsagents  were  not  permitted 
to  post  after  seven  o'clock,  but  the  Clerks  of  the  Eoad  could 
post  as  late  as  eight  o'clock.  They  were  able,  therefore,  to 
retain  a  considerable  business.  In  1829  it  was  estimated 
that  as  many  as  one-eighth  of  all  the  newspapers  sent  out 
from  London  were  sent  by  the  Clerks  of  the  Koad.^  The 
privilege  of  late  posting  was  withdrawn  in  1834,  and  their 
business  then  ceased.3 

at  a  very  small  price,  and  it  is  expedient  that  the  same  should  be  restrained." — 
Preamble  of  the  "  Six  Acts,"  1819. 

I  «<  gij.  Francis  Freeling  states  that  he  succeeds  to  the  enjoyment  of  the 
privilege  of  franking  which  had  previously  appertained  to  the  situation  of 
the  Comptroller  of  the  Inland  Office,  when  he  held  the  situation  of  Principal 
and  Resident  Surveyor,  and  that  it  was  deemed  a  measure  of  economy  to 
provide  for  the  remuneration  of  this  officer  by  these  means  in  lieu  of  salary." 
— Eighteenth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  of  Bevenue  Inquiry,  Post  Office, 
1829,  p.  26. 

'  About  12  millions  a  year.     Ibid.,  p.  464. 

3  H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post  Office,  p.  419. 


NEWSPAPER  POST   IN   ENGLAND  119 

It  seems  anomalous  that  at  the  same  time  that  the  Govern- 
ment, with  the  object  of  restricting  the  pubHcation  and 
distribution  of  newspapers,  imposed  a  heavy  stamp  duty  and 
a  duty  on  advertisements,  they  should  have  assisted,  by 
allowing  free  transmission  by  post,  the  distribution  of  such 
newspapers  as  were  able  to  survive  the  impositions;  but  the 
heavy  taxes  were  intended  to  prevent  the  issue  of  cheap 
newspapers,  and  expensive  papers  could  only  find  sale  among 
those  who  were  not  attracted  by  dangerous  doctrines,  political 
or  otherwise.^  In  the  view  of  the  Government  this  aristo- 
cratic character  ensured,  moreover,  a  high  moral  tone  in 
the  Press.  Without  such  taxes  the  English  Press  might 
become  a  moral  danger  and  might  conceivably  sink  to  the 
level  of  the  American  Press  of  the  day,  which,  according  to 
some  eminent  persons,  was  very  low  indeed. ^  The  question 
of  free  transmission  by  post  received  little  attention.  Chief 
interest  was  centred  on  the  allegation  that  the  stamp  duty 
so  raised  the  price  of  legitimate  newspapers  as  to  place  them 
beyond  the  reach  of  any  but  the  well-to-do. 

The  question  of  allowing  the  free  publication  of  newspapers, 
or  of,  at  least,  reducing  the  heavy  burdens  under  which  they 
lay,  became  urgent  after  the  passing  of  the  Reform  Act  of 
1832.3  The  increase  in  the  number  of  people  directly 
interested  in  political  affairs  through  the  extension  of  the 
franchise,  and  the  awakened  general  interest  in  social  and 
economic  problems,  not   only  produced  a  great  demand    for 

'  "These  laws  (the  Six  Acts)  wore  specially  directed — not  against  the  morning 
Newspapers,  which  had  been  cajoled  or  frightened  into  comparative  silence,  or 
shared  in  the  then  general  feeling  in  favour  of  a  '  strong  Government ' — but 
against  the  Radical  writers  and  speakers,  '  Cobbett,  Wooler,  Watson,  Himt,'  as 
Byron  reminds  us,  all  of  whom  had  contributed,  by  cheap  political  publications 
and  strong  political  harangues,  to  raise  a  demand  for  reform,  loud  enough  and 
daring  enough  to  be  most  troublesome  to  the  authorities." — F.  K.  Hunt,  The 
Fourth  Estate,  London,  1850,  vol.  ii.  p.  49. 

=  "Newspapers  are  so  cheap  in  the  United  States,  that  the  generality  even  of 
the  lowest  order  can  afford  to  purchase  them.  They  therefore  depend  for  support 
on  the  most  ignorant  class  of  the  people.  Everything  they  contain  must  be 
accommodated  to  the  taste  and  apprehension  of  men  who  labour  daily  for  their 
bread,  and  are  of  course  indifferent  to  refinement  either  of  language  or 
reasoning."  —  Quoted  by  Lord  Sandon,  20th  June  1836 ;  Pari.  Debates 
{Commons),  vol.  xxxiv.  col.  649. 

3  The  duties  on  newspapers  at  that  time  were  (1)  the  duty  on  paper,  3d.  per 
pound  weight  (^d.  a  sheet),  (2)  a  duty  of  4d.  a  copy,  (3)  a  dut^  of  3s.  6d.  on  every 
advertisenaent. 


120  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

newspapers,  but  made  necessary  provision  for  the  dissemin- 
ation of  accurate  political  intelligence. ^  Numerous  unstamped 
papers,  which  found  a  ready  sale,  were  issued  in  various  parts 
of  the  country,  in  defiance  of  the  law.  Thus,  in  London, 
one  of  these  papers,  The  Poor  Man's  Guardian,  an  able  and 
'*  Sociahstic  "  paper,  bore  on  its  title-page  a  notification  that 
it  was  deliberately  published  contrary  to  law,  in  order  to 
test  **the  power  of  right  against  might."  ^ 

The  Government  took  strong  action  against  such  publi- 
cations. Numerous  prosecutions  were  undertaken,  and  a 
large  number  of  persons  in  various  parts  of  the  country  were 
imprisoned;  but  the  circulation  of  the  papers  could  not  be 
checked.     Popular  sentiment  was  largely  on   the  side  of  the 

*  •'  The  change  which  had  taken  place  in  the  political  condition  of  the  country 
made  it  essential  to  communicate  to  the  people  sound  political  knowledge  and 
information.  He  would  say  that  the  security  of  that  House,  living,  as  it  did,  in 
the  affections  of  the  people — of  the  Government,  possessing,  as  it  did,  the  confi- 
dence of  the  people — and  of  the  Monarchy,  reigning,  as  it  did,  and  as  he  trusted 
it  ever  would,  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  depended  upon  the  diffusion  of  sound 
political  knowledge." — Chancellor  of  Exchequer,  20th  June  1836  ;  Pari.  Debates 
(Covi'mons),  vol.  xxxiv.  col.  634. 

'  "  Many  of  these  publications  circulated  to  the  amount  of  several  thousand 
copies  weekly  ;  their  sale,  in  several  instances,  was  larger  than  the  sale  of  some 
among  the  most  popular  legitimate  papers  ;  their  influence  over  large  bodies  of 
the  working  classes  was  much  greater." — E.  Lytton  Bulwer,  14th  Juno  1832; 
Ibid.,  vol.  xiii.  col.  623. 

*'  You  have  laws  imposing  severe  penalties  upon  those  who  are  guilty  of 
breaches  of  these  laws ;  but  it  has  been  found  impossible  to  stop  the  sale  of  those 
cheap  and  obnoxious  publications  by  fiscal  laws  ;  and  the  success  with  which 
they  are  broken,  the  sympathy  excited  in  favour  of  the  offenders,  and  the  assist- 
ance which  they  receive,  only  give  encouragement  to  pursue  the  same  course. 
I  have  been  informed  that,  within  the  last  fortnight  or  three  weeks,  between  forty 
and  fifty  persons  have  been  taken  before  the  police  magistrates,  and  convicted 
for  selling  these  publications." — Mr.  O'Connell,  14th  June  1832  ;  Ibid.,  vol.  xiii. 
col.  637. 

•'  As  long  as  the  Tories  were  in  power  Lord  Liverpool,  or  even  Canning,  could 
consistently  advocate  the  restriction  of  political  discussion.  But  the  fact  that  the 
Whigs  had  now  held  office  since  1830,  and  that  the  tax  remained  undiminished, 
was  only  to  be  explained  by  their  rooted  disbelief  in  every  principle  which  they 
professed  to  hold. 

**  Year  after  year  Place  had  brought  the  question  forward.  Every  year  the 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  declared  himself  in  favour  of  repeal  in  principle, 
and  every  year  the  Government,  for  reasons  which  they  dared  not  avow,  con- 
tinued the  tax.  Meanwhile  the  Commissioners  of  Stamps  so  used  their  power  of 
prosecution  as  to  set  up  a  peculiarly  odious  form  of  censorship.  The  Penny 
Magazine,  for  instance,  was  allowed  to  circulate  unstamped,  while  the  Poor  Man's 
Guardian  was  prosecuted." — Graham  Wallas,  The  Life  of  Francis  Place, 
London,  1898,  p.  336, 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN   ENGLAND  121 

publishers  and  sellers  of  unstamped  papers,  sympathy  being 
so  strong  that  frequently  subscriptions  for  their  benefit  were 
raised.^ 

It  became  apparent  very  soon  after  the  passing  of  the 
Eeform  Act  that  the  heavy  duty  could  not  be  maintained. 
It  was  indeed  so  high,  and  the  sale  of  the  unstamped 
publications  was  so  great,  that  in  the  years  after  1831  there 
was  an  actual  diminution  in  the  yield  of  the  stamp  duty. 
In  1836  the  Government  were  constrained  to  deal  with  the 
question.  They  introduced  a  Bill  providing  for  the  reduction 
of  the  duty  from  4d.  a  sheet  to  Id.  a  sheet.  The  Chancellor 
of  the  Exchequer  said  that  the  reduction  was  simply  a 
concession  to  public  necessity  and  expediency.  If  the  duty 
were  maintained  at  its  then  existing  level,  public  feeling 
against  it  would  increase,  and  might  lead  to  a  general  dis- 
position to  encourage  illegal  publications.  The  reduction 
would,  moreover,  assist  the  moral  improvement  of  the  people. 

The  reduction  of  the  duty  was  not  carried  without  oppo- 
sition. The  Times,  which  had  attained  its  position  under 
the  old  duties,  and  the  other  great  newspapers  then  success- 
fully conducted,  were  opposed  to  the  reduction,  foreseeing 
the  possibility  of  the  rivalry  of  new  and  cheap  competitors.  =* 
An  attempt  was  made  to  argue  that  the  benefit  would  not 
accrue  to  the  public,  since  the  public  did  not  in  general  buy 
newspapers  but  went  to  the  public-house  to  hear  them  read. 
Such  persons  would  still  go  to  the  public-house,  and  would 
therefore  derive  no  benefit  from  the  reduced  price :  the 
advantage  would  be  with  the  publican.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  was    anticipated   that   the   reduction    of    the    duty  would 

*  **  The  market  for  a  Newspaper  at  twopence  appeared  to  be  insatiable,  and 
this  ready  demand  produced  an  ample  supply.  In  vain  the  police  apprehended 
hawker  after  hawker  ;  in  vain  the  Stamp  Office  gave  the  informers  and  detectives 
additional  premiums  for  vigilance,  the  trade  went  on  with  an  exciting  degree  of 
activity.  As  the  London  gaols  became  crowded  with  *  victims,'  the  public 
sympathies  were  touched,  and  a  fund  was  raised  by  subscription  to  support  the 
families  of  the  men  and  women  (for  women  were  seized  and  imprisoned)  whilst 
under  sentence." — P.  K.  Hunt,  The  Fourth  Estate,  London,  1850,  vol.  ii.  p.  75. 

'  "  This  tax  was  a  charter  to  the  existing  newspapers — it  was  not  they  who 
suffered  from  it — it  was  the  public — it  was  the  Government — it  was  order — it 
was  society  that  suffered." — E.  Lytton  Bulwer,  22nd  May  1834;  Pari.  Debates 
[Cojnmons),  vol.  xxiii,  col.  1195.  See  also  G.  J.  Holyoake,  Sixty  Years  of  an 
Agitator's  Life,  London,  1893,  vol.  i.  p.  288. 


122  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

so  cheapen  the  newspapers  that  they  would  be  brought 
within  reach  of  all.  Mr.  Spring  Eice  said  he  knew  that 
"  the  newspaper  was  one  of  the  great  attractions  to  take 
the  poor  man  from  home  to  visit  the  public-house;  if, 
therefore,  the  adoption  of  this  proposition  tended  to  keep 
the  poor  man  at  home,  it  would  afford  a  great  moral  aid  to 
the  improvement  of  the  people."  ^  The  moral  uplifting  of  the 
poor  man  was  a  mighty  shibboleth  in  those  days,  and  one 
which  gave  a  power  to  these  arguments. 

The  rates  fixed  by  the  Act  of  1836  were  Id.  for 
the  first  sheet,  not  exceeding  2,295  superficial  square  inches, 
and  a  halfpenny  for  a  second  sheet  not  exceeding  1,148 
square  inches.  The  existing  provisions  with  regard  to  regis- 
tration and  sureties  were  continued.  They  were  considered 
of  importance,  in  view  of  the  likelihood  of  the  establishment 
of  cheap  irresponsible  papers  which  might  be  found  publishing 
slanderous  and  scurrilous,  if  not  blasphemous,  statements. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  Government  had  in  mind  a 
wish  still  to  keep  some  restriction  on  the  Press,  and  the 
Eadicals  always  took  that  view.  The  penny  duty  un- 
doubtedly had  the  effect  of  preventing  the  issue  of  really 
cheap  newspapers. 2  Although  in  Parliament  the  Govern- 
ment argued  that  they  were  entitled  to  the  penny  as  a 
postage  charge, 3  it  is  unlikely  that  they  did  not  reahze  how 
illogical  it  would  be  to  charge  a  penny  stamp  duty  on  every 
copy  of  a  newspaper  that  was  printed,  in  order  to  secure 
the  free  transmission  by  post  of  such  copies  as  the  publisher 
might  wish  to  distribute  by  that  means.4     The  proportionate 

'  Pari.  Debates  (Commons),  vol.  xxxiv.  col,  625. 

=  "  2755.  Chairman :  That  penny  which  was  left  when  the  stamp  was  reduced, 
was  called  by  some  noble  Lord  the  worst  penny  of  all ;  and  was  not  it  always 
foreseen  by  those  who  looked  deeply  into  the  subject,  that  the  retention  of 
that  penny  just  made  the  difference  between  not  being  able  to  circulate  a 
cheap  paper  and  being  able  to  circulate  it? — It  makes  all  the  difference,  I 
think." — Evidence  of  Mr.  H.  Cole,  Report  fr-om  Select  Co^nmittee  on,  Newspaper 
Stamps,  18th  July  1851. 

3  "The  penny  was  avowedly  retained  in  1836  not  for  the  purposes  of  revenue 
but  as  a  compensation  to  the  State  for  services  performed  in  the  transmission  of 
newspapers  by  post." — Viscount  Canning,  24th  May  1855;  Pari.  Debates  (Lords), 
vol.  cxxxviii.  col.  954. 

*  McCulloch  has  some  remarks  which  indicate  the  line  on  which  was  justified 
the  practice  of  charging  the  stamp  duty  on  every  copy  of  a  newspaper,  in  order 
that  a  portion  of  them  mti^ht  be  tr£|,nsuiitted  by  post  without  further  charge ;— 


NEWSPAPER   POST   IN   ENGLAND  123 

numbers  of  newspapers  sent  or  not  sent  by  post  would  not 
be  the  same  for  all  publications.  Such  a  provision  was 
therefore  bound  to  work  unequally.  Moreover,  the  new  duty 
meant  that  it  would  still  be  impossible  to  issue  a  newspaper 
at  the  price  of  one  penny,  and  the  cheap  newspaper  was 
still  barred.  The  duty  was  in  fact  still  a  restrictive  tax; 
and  by  those  who  were  opposed  to  all  "taxes  on  know- 
ledge," of  which  the  newspaper  duty  had  been  considered  one, 
the  question  was  never  regarded  as  settled  by  this  reduction.' 

The  official  Whigs  did  not  say  much  on  the  question  of 
the  restrictive  character  of  the  duty.  The  Kadicals  were  not 
so  careful  to  hide  the  repressive  side.  While  not  suggesting 
that  the  Government  (with  whom  they  voted)  desired  the 
continuance  of  a  restrictive  duty,  they  roundly  accused  the 
Opposition  of  desiring  to  restrain  the  dissemination  of 
intelligence,    "  in   order   to    keep   up   their    influence   over   a 

"  Impolicy  of  Imposing  a  Postage  on  Newspapers. — The  duties  now  sub- 
stantially repealed  produced,  in  1853,  £412,220  nett,  no  inconsiderable  sum 
in  a  period  of  war.  In  point  of  fact,  however,  they  could  hardly  be  called 
duties,  and  ought  rather  to  have  been  regarded  as  a  payment  for  the  trouble 
and  expense  attending  the  conveyance  and  distribution  of  newspapers  by 
post.  But  supposing  such  to  be  the  case,  it  was  argued  that  the  duty  should 
be  so  limited,  that  is,  that  it  should  only  be  imposed  on  papers  carried  by 
the  post.  Matters  of  this  sort  are  not,  however,  to  be  decided  by  mere 
logical  considerations.  The  effect  of  the  new  plan  is  to  confine,  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  according  to  circumstances,  the  circulation  of  newspapers  to 
the  districts  within  which  they  are  published;  and  this  certainly  is  not 
a  desirable  object,  .  .  .  Under  the  new  plan  the  charge  for  conveyance,  or 
it  may  bo  postage,  being  added  to  the  price  of  the  metropolitan  journals, 
they  will  be  dearer  than  the  local  papers,  and  people  in  many,  or  rather 
perhaps  in  the  majority  of  instances,  will  be  disposed  to  prefer  the  low-priced 
though  inferior  journal  published  at  their  door,  to  the  superior  but  higher 
priced  journal  of  the  capital.  ...  On  the  whole,  therefore,  we  anticipate 
little  or  no  advantage  from  the  now  plan.  But  we  are,  at  the  same  time, 
ready  to  admit  that  no  system  of  this  sort  can  be  safely  judged  a  priori ;  and 
that  the  results  of  experience  may  differ  very  widely  from  those  of  theory." 
— J.  R.  McCulloch,  Commercial  Dictionary,  London,  1856,  p.  893. 

'  "  We  are  living  under  a  disguised  censorship  of  the  Press.  I  use  the  word 
advisedly;  and  I  find  that  generally  where  there  is  an  avowed  censorship 
of  the  Press  there  are  no  taxes  on  knowledge ;  no  stanip  duty  and  generally 
no  paper  duty.  From  the  time  when  the  stamp  duty  was  first  imposed  in 
the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  the  number  of  newspapers  has  been  very  much 
diminished  by  the  stamp.  For  instance,  Steele's  Spectator  was  nearly  if  not 
quite  ruined  by  it ;  and  from  that  time  to  this  the  amount  of  revenue  has 
never  been  so  large  as  to  be  a  serious  subject  of  consideration." — Evidence  of 
Collet  Dobson  Collet,  Report  from  the  Select  Committee  on  Newspaper  Stamps, 
18th  July  1851,  p.  113. 


124  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

certain  class  of  people,  and  at  the  same  time  to  perpetuate 
the  ignorance  which  had  hitherto  hung  about  them."  ^ 

After  the  passing  of  the  Act  with  its  definite  postal 
privilege  for  newspapers  coming  within  its  provisions, 
questions  arose  as  to  the  status  with  regard  to  transmission 
by  post  of  certain  publications  which  were  not  newspapers 
of  the  ordinary  type,  but  rather  of  the  nature  of  critical  or 
literary  reviews.  The  proprietors  of  these  publications  desired 
to  transmit  by  post  a  part  of  their  issues.  They  were  not, 
however,  prepared  to  pay  at  the  letter  rate  by  the  ounce,  but 
wished  to  bring  under  the  Stamp  Act  that  portion  of  their  im- 
pression which  would  pass  by  post,  and  pay  duty  accordingly 
on  those  copies  only.  This  course  was  agreed  to  by  the 
Government  in  1838,2  subject  to  a  maximum  limit  of  weight 
per  copy  of  2  ounces.  The  privilege  was  at  first  conceded 
only  to  periodicals,  termed  ''  class  "  newspapers,  dealing  with 
a  particular  subject  and  addressed  to  a  certain  class  of  the 
community,  such  as,  for  instance,  papers  relating  to  law, 
medicine,  or  architecture.  It  was  restricted  to  papers 
dealing  with  what  might  be  termed  the  higher  intellectual 
subjects.     These  were  held  to  form  fair  ground  of  exemption  ; 

*  Mr.  Roebuck,  20th  June  1836 ;  Pari.  Debates  [Commons),  vol.  xxxiv.  col.  653. 

»  Treasury  Minute,  No.  21,355,  28th  November  1838:  "It  appears  that  these 
papers,  though  stamped  as  newspapers,  are  not  according  to  Law  Newspapers, 
and  consequently  need  not  have  been  stamped,  but  that  the  proprietors  have 
caused  them  to  be  stamped  for  the  purpose  probably  of  obtaining  the  facility  of 
passing  them  free  of  postage. 

"My  Lords  consider  that  all  publications  which  are  in  the  construction  of  the 
law  newspapers  and  are  compelled  to  be  stamped  are  in  equity  entitled  to  the 
privilege  of  passing  free  of  postage,  but  with  respect  to  publications,  which  like 
these  now  under  consideration  are  not  properly  newspapers,  or  necessarily 
stamped,  they  are  of  opinion  that  they  are  not  in  equity  entitled  to  the  privilege, 
and  that  my  Lords  must  take  into  consideration  the  convenience  of  the  public 
service  and  the  other  circumstances  of  the  case.  My  Lords  are  desirous  of  afford- 
ing every  fair  facility  which  may  not  bo  inconsistent  with  the  proper  despatch  of 
the  mails,  and  in  this  view  they  consider  that  a  limit  of  weight  may  be  properly 
applied,  and  adverting  to  the  average  weight  of  a  large  newspaper,  they  are  of 
opinion  that  the  limit  may  be  properly  fixed  at  2  ounces. 

"  They  are  pleased  therefore  to  direct  that  for  the  future  in  all  cases  where  appli- 
cations are  made  for  the  transmission  of  any  stamped  publication  through  the  post 
free  of  postage,  if  it  shall  appear  that  such  publication  is  legally  a  newspaper  and 
compelled  to  be  stamped  such  paper  shall  pass  postage  free  whatever  may  be 
its  weight,  and  that  when  such  publication  may  not  appear  to  be  strictly  a  news- 
paper, still  it  should  be  permitted  the  indulgence  in  case  the  weight  shall  not 
exceed  2  ounces." 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  125 

but  other  specialist  papers  relating  to  subjects  less  intellectual 
then  appeared ;  such  as  papers  relating  to  turf  news,  or 
reporting  cases  before  the  police  courts.  These  papers  being 
entirely  devoted  to  one  subject,  it  became  a  question  whether 
the  privilege  of  stamping  only  a  part  of  their  impression 
could  be  given  them.  Instead  of  attempting  any  sort  of  dis- 
crimination in  such  cases,  the  Government  made  one  general 
rule  that  all  papers  devoted  to  the  discussion  of  one  subject 
should  be  accorded  the  privilege.  Thereupon  a  great  variety 
of  such  papers  came  into  existence,  and  very  soon  some 
of  them  began  to  include  in  their  issues  matter  which  could 
only  be  regarded  as  news  of  a  general  character.  This  raised 
a  further  question  :  how  much  such  general  news  should  be 
regarded  as  destroying  the  "class"  character  of  the  publication. 
The  Government  found  themselves  in  a  difficulty.  If  the 
law  was  not  rigorously  enforced,  the  papers  paying  the  tax 
raised  a  great  outcry  against  the  injustice  to  themselves; 
and  if  the  law  was  enforced  in  respect  of  those  "  class " 
publications  which  published  general  news,  there  was  a  great 
outcry  against  the  discrimination  between  the  "  class  "  papers.^ 
The  whole  position  in  regard  to  these  papers  became 
unsatisfactory  and  anomalous.^  It  was,  in  point  of  fact, 
found  impossible  to  enforce  the  law.  The  outbreak  of  the 
Crimean  War  led  to  a  development  which  reduced  the  whole 
position  to  absurdity.  Publications  were  issued  giving  the 
latest  and  fullest  available  intelligence  from  the  seat  of 
war.  These  publications  confined  themselves  strictly  to  the 
subject  of  the  war.  They  published  nothing  on  any  other 
topic ;  and  on  that  ground,  although  devoted  entirely  to  the 
publication  of  news  of  burning  interest,  they  claimed  to  be 
exempt  from  the  newspaper  duty  in  common  with  all  other 
"class"  newspapers. 3 

'  Pari.  Debates  (Commons),  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  1130. 

"  '*  If  a  tradesman  at  the  present  time  carries  his  circular  to  the  Board  of  Inland 
Revenue,  he  obtains  the  postal  privilege  on  the  condition  of  his  declaring  his 
circular  to  be  a  newspaper,  although,  if  the  Board  of  Inland  Revenue  were  after- 
wards to  prosecute  him  for  not  stamping  his  entire  impression,  he  would  be 
entitled  to  go  into  a  Court  of  Justice  and  there  to  contend  that  that  was  not  a 
newspaper  which  he  himself  had  declared  to  be  a  newspaper  in  order  to  obtain 
the  postal  privilege  for  part  of  his  impression." — Mr,  Gladstone,  19th  March 
1866  ;  ibid.,  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  791. 

3  '  The  Solicitor  of  the  Board  of  Inland  Revenue,  being  examined  before  a 


126  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

In  the  Session  of  1854  the  House  of  Commons  passed  a 
Eesolution,  although  it  was  opposed  by  the  Government, 
affirming  that  the  laws  in  reference  to  the  periodical  press  and 
newspaper  stamp  were  "ill-defined  and  unequally  enforced,"  and 
that  the  subject  demanded  the  early  consideration  of  Parliament. 
The  Government  gave  the  matter  their  attention.  Mr.  Glad- 
stone, then  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  prepared  a  plan  which 
was  embodied,  with  modifications,  in  a  Bill  introduced  in  the 
following  Session  by  his  successor.  This  Bill  provided  for  the 
abolition  of  the  duty  except  on  such  copies  as  it  might  be 
desired  to  send  by  post.  The  proposal  was  welcomed  as  the 
abolition  of  the  last  of  the  taxes  on  knowledge,  and  a  liberation 
of  the  Press.'  The  only  serious  opposition  to  the  Bill  was 
made  on  the  ground  that  in  the  exceptional  circumstances  of 
the  time — the  nation  being  engaged  in  a  war — the  loss  of 
revenue  could  be  ill-afforded;  and  that  the  withdrawal  of  the 
duty  would  lower  the  moral  character  of  the  Press,  and  open 
the  way  for  seditious  and  blasphemous  publications  and  for 
unrestrained  libellous  attacks  on  the  Government,  on  public 
authorities,  and  private  individuals. ^     The  Government  justi- 

Oommittee  upon  the  subject  of  class  publications,  was  asked  why  class  publica- 
tions were  not  subjected  to  tbe  compulsory  stamp.  Inadvertently,  instead  of 
saying  that  they  were  exempted  because  they  were  addressed  to  a  particular 
class  of  the  community,  he  said  that  it  was  because  they  related  only  to  one 
subject.  In  giving  that  reason,  he  made  a  slight  error  of  statement.  That  error 
has  now  been  taken  up  in  difEerent  parts  of  the  country,  and  a  number  of 
periodicals  have  appeared,  such  as  the  War  Telegraph  and  the  War  Times,  con- 
taining intelligence  relating  exclusively  to  the  war,  which  they  say  is  *  one 
subject,'  and  so  saying,  set  the  Board  of  Inland  Revenue  at  defiance." — 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  19th  March  1855  ;  ibid.,  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  804. 

*  ♦'  I  am  quite  satisfied,  from  years  of  attention  to  this  subject,  that  there 
never  was  so  large  a  measure  involved  in  a  small  measure,  so  to  speak,  as  is  the 
case  with  regard  to  this  proposition  for  making  the  Press  free.  I  am  willing  to 
rest  on  the  verdict  of  the  future,  and  I  am  quite  confident  that  five  or  six  years 
will  show  that  all  the  votes  of  Parliament  for  educational  purposes  have  been  as 
mere  trifles  compared  with  the  vast  results  which  will  flow  from  this  measure, 
because,  while  the  existing  papers  will  retain  all  their  powers  of  usefulness,  it 
will  call  to  their  aid  numbers  of  others  not  less  useful,  and  while  we  continue  to 
enjoy  the  advantage  of  having  laid  before  us  each  morning  a  map  of  the  events 
of  the  world,  the  same  advantage  will  be  extended  to  classes  of  society  at 
present  shut  out  from  it." — John  Bright,  19th  March  1855  ;  ibid.,  vol.  cxxxvii. 
cols.  810-11. 

=  '«  Another  objection,  and  that  of  a  more  serious  character,  has  been  brought 
under  my  notice  by  various  persons,  who  have  described  the  proposition  to 
repeal  the  compulsory  newspaper  stamp  as  one  which  would  be  most  dangerous 
to  society.    It  has  been  described  as  a  measure  which  will  open  the  floodgates  of 


NEWSPAPER  POST   IN   ENGLAND  127 

fied  their  proposals  on  the  ground  that  the  administration  of 
the  existing  law  had  become  exceedingly  difficult,  and  that  the 
resolution  of  the  previous  session  condemning  the  ambiguity 
of  the  existing  law  and  the  unsatisfactory  character  of  its 
administration  left  them  little  choice  in  the  matter.' 

An  amendment  to  the  Bill  of  1855,  proposing  the  reduction 
of  the  stamp  duty  to  Jd.,  which  was  in  effect  providing  for 
the  transmission  of  newspapers  by  post  at  the  uniform  rate  of 
Jd.,  was  opposed  by  the  Government.  There  was  no  desire  to 
make  the.  postage  of  newspapers  a  source  of  revenue.  On  this 
point  there  was  general  agreement.  At  the  same  time  there 
was  no  disposition  to  carry  newspapers  at  less  than  cost. 
Sir  Kowland  Hill,  in  the  course  of  his  evidence  before  the 
Committee  of  1851,  had  said  that  the  Post  Office  could 
profitably  carry  newspapers  at  a  penny,^  and  that  it  was 
unlikely  that  they  could  be  carried  profitably  for  a  halfpenny. 

sedition  and  blasphemy,  and  which  will  inundate  the  country  with  licentious 
and  immoral  productions,  which  will  undermine  the  very  foundations  of  society, 
and  scatter  the  seeds  of  revolution  broadcast  over  the  land.  These  expressions 
are  not  exaggerated  representations  of  the  opinions  which  have  been  communi- 
cated to  me  from  many  quarters  since  this  measure  has  been  under  my  con- 
sideration."— Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  in  House  of  Commons,  19th  March 
1855  ;  ibid.,  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  782. 

"  The  Right  Hon.  Gentleman  who  has  just  resumed  his  seat  (Mr.  Disraeli)  has 
spoken  of  the  *  liberty  of  the  Press.'  That  has  been  long  spoken  of.  It  has  been 
said  that  it  must  be  'free  as  the  air  we  breathe  ;  take  it  away,  we  die.'  But,  Sir, 
what  is  the  '  liberty  of  the  Press  '  ?  It  is  the  liberty  of  a  certain  number  of 
persons  to  slander  anonymously  whomever  they  please,  against  whom  you  have 
no  redress.  It  is  freedom  to  the  anonymous  libeller." — Mr.  Drummond  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  23rd  April  1855  ;  ibid.,  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  1680. 

*  *'  This  is  not  merely  a  fiscal  matter,  because,  as  I  have  already  stated  to  the 
Committee,  the  existing  law  respecting  the  stamp  duty  upon  newspapers  has 
been  brought  into  a  most  inconsistent  state  by  a  succession  of  indulgences 
which  were  made  for  the  benefit  of  a  certain  class  of  newspaper  publications. 
The  consequence  of  these  indulgences  is,  that  the  greatest  difficulty  exists  in  the 
administration  of  the  present  law." — Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  in  House  of 
Commons,  19th  March  1855;  ibid.,  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  802. 

=*  "  Q.  1852.  Mr.  Cobden :  Would  the  carrying  of  newspapers  be  profitable  to 
the  Post  Ofiioe  at  the  present  rates,  provided  you  were  left  to  adopt  your  own 
regulations  as  to  the  transmission  of  newspapers  without  the  intervention  of  the 
Board  of  Inland  Revenue  ? — In  one  sense  it  would  be  profitable  and  in  another  it 
would  not.  If  we  were  to  charge  against  the  newspapers  a  share  of  the  fixed 
expenses  of  the  establishment,  then  it  is  very  questionable  whether  it  would  be 
profitable  ;  but  if  you  consider,  as  we  probably  should,  that  the  expenses  of  the 
establishment  are  incurred  in  respect  of  the  letters,  and  only  calculate  the  addi- 
tional expense  which  would  be  thrown  upon  us  for  the  transmission  of  news* 
papers,  then  I  think  \fe  should  find  them  profitable. 


128  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

Members  of  the  Government  and  other  members  of  the  House 
were  convinced  that  a  halfpenny  rate  would  involve  a  loss,  and 
they  opposed  the  amendment  on  that  ground.^ 

The  Act  16  &  17  Vict.  cap.  63  (1853)  had  reduced  the  stamp 
duties  on  newspapers, ^  and  repealed  the  duties  on  advertise- 
ments. A  further  Act  (the  Newspaper  Stamp  Duties  Act  of 
1855,  18  &  19  Vict.  cap.  27),  repealed  the  stamp  duty,  as 
such,  in  respect  of  newspapers,  and  provided  that  periodical 
publications  conforming  to  certain  conditions  should  be 
entitled  to  free  transmission  by  post,  if  *'  printed  within  the 
United  Kingdom  on  paper  stamped  for  denoting  the  rate  of 
duty  now  imposed  by  law  on  newspapers."  The  chief  con- 
ditions were  that  the  publication  should  be  issued  at  intervals 
not  exceeding  thirty-one  days,  should  bear  the  title  and  date  of 
publication  at  the  top  of  every  page,  and  should  not  be  printed 
on  or  bound  in  pasteboard  or  cardboard.  The  maximum  limit 
of  weight  for  publications  not  strictly  newspapers,  which  in 
1854  had  been  raised  to  3  ounces,  was  now  abolished,  and 
newspapers  and  all  other  stamped  periodical  publications  were 

**  Q.  1853 :  Having  an  immense  organization  at  the  Post  Office  with  a  certain 
amount  of  fixed  charges,  with  a  large  amount  of  postmen  necessarily  travelling 
over  the  whole  of  the  kingdom,  you  would  find  it  profitable  to  carry  newspapers 
for  a  penny,  in  addition  to  the  letter  carrying,  would  you  ? — Yes. 

"  Q.  1854 :  Therefore,  if  the  newspaper  stamp  were  abolished,  and  you  were 
left  to  regulate  the  postage  at  the  Post  Office,  you  would  deem  it  profitable  to 
carry  newspapers  at  a  penny  each  ? — Yes,  certainly  we  should :  what  I  mean  is, 
that  the  carrying  of  newspapers  would  not  increase  our  expenses  to  the  extent  of 
a  penny  each. 

"  Ans.  1912  :  I  was  in  hopes  that  we  might  distribute  them  at  a  halfpenny, 
if  we  could  have  completed  a  plan  in  the  simple  form  in  which  it  presented  itself 
to  my  mind  at  first. 

•'  Q.  1913 :  The  plan  is  so  far  under  consideration,  and,  perhaps,  these 
difficulties  may  be  got  over  ? — I  cannot  hold  out  any  expectation  of  that ;  I  think 
I  have  considered  it  sufficiently  to  see  that  those  difficulties  are  all  but  insuper- 
able."— Evidence  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill,  Report  from  Select  Committee  on  News- 
paper Stamps,  18th  July  1851. 

*  •*  He  believed  it  would  be  admitted  that  there  was  no  wish  to  make  revenue 
out  of  this  carriage  of  newspapers  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  newspaper 
interest  had  no  right  to  ask  that  their  productions  should  be  carried  at  less  than 
cost  price.  It  should  be  as  near  as  possible  an  equal  bargain  between  the  parties, 
by  which  neither  the  revenue  on  the  one  hand,  nor  the  newspapers  on  the  other, 
should  gain.  .  .  .  He  believed  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  Post  Office  that  a  half- 
penny would  not  be  sufficient  to  cover  the  expenses  of  transmission." — Lord 
Stanley,  23rd  April  1855;  Pari.  Debates  {Commons),  vol.  cxxxvii.  col.  1664. 

"  The  duty  was  reduced  to  Id.  upon  a  sheet  containing  a  superficies  not 
exceeding  2,295  inches. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  129 

made  subject  to  the  same  restrictions  as  to  number  of  sheets 
and  extent  of  letterpress,  etc  Concurrently  with  the  passing 
of  this  Act,  the  book  post  rates  were  reduced  with  the  view 
of  permitting  the  transmission  of  unstamped  newspapers  at 
low  rates  of  postage. ' 

Under  the  Act  of  1855,  stamp  duty  at  the  rate  payable  at 
that  time  under  the  existing  law  must  be  paid  in  order  to 
secure  the  privilege  of  free  transmission  of  newspapers  by  post. 
The  duty  was  chargeable  according  to  the  number  of  sheets  ; 
and  in  the  case  of  some  leading  newspapers,  such  as  The  Times 
and  the  Illustrated  London  News,  amounted  to  IJd.  per  copy 
for  each  issue.  The  proprietors  of  these  publications  in  1858 
approached  the  Post  Office  with  the  view  of  obtaining  a 
reduction  of  the  charge  for  the  transmission  of  their  papers 
by  post.  This  request  was  submitted  by  the  Post  Office,  and 
was  met  by  the  Government  in  a  liberal  spirit.  In  view  of  the 
importance  now  attached  by  Parliament  to  the  free  circulation 
of  newspapers,  as  shown  by  the  jremoval  of  taxation  from  them, 
an  object  of  scarcely  inferior  importance  to  the  circulation 
of  letters,  it  was  now  decided  that  since  the  whole  of  the 
existing  system  rested  on  the  assumption  that  the  free  cir- 
culation of  newspapers  in  general  was  an  object  of  importance, 
and  one  to  be  attained  even  at  a  disproportionate  cost  to  the 
Post  Office,  a  line  should  not  be  drawn  so  as  to  exclude  from 
the  lowest  rate  one  paper,  and  that  paper  the  one  with  the 
largest  circulation.  Such  was  the  result  of  the  existing 
limitation  to  4  ounces  of  the  weight  of  newspapers  which 
might  be  carried  by  the  post  for  Id.,  and  the  limit  was 
therefore  raised  from  4  ounces  to  6  ounces. 

In  1866  the  question  was  raised  in  the  House  of  Commons 
whether  the  Post  Office  charge  could  be  reduced,  especially 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  railway  companies  were  distributing 
newspapers  at  a  uniform  rate  of  Jd.  a  copy.  In  1869  the 
question  was  again  raised  in  Parliament.  A  resolution 
was  moved  in  favour  of  an  inland  rate  of  Jd.  for  2  ounces 
on  printed  matter,  and  a  postage  of  Jd.  on  newspapers.  It 
was  urged  that  the  concession  would  be  of  special  value  in 
rural  districts :  it  would  indeed  "  be  hard  to  say  what  the 
effect  might  be  in  time  on  the  social  condition  of  the  people." 

'  See  infra,  p.  221. 
10 


130  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

In  several  continental  countries  newspapers  were  already 
transmissible  by  post  at  very  low  rates.  Against  the  possible 
objection  that  by  introducing  a  rate  lower  than  the  Id.  rate 
they  were  jeopardizing  its  maintenance  for  letters,  and  that 
the  proposal  might  therefore  lead  to  a  general  Jd.  rate,  it 
was  argued  that  so  far  from  that  being  the  case,  the  best 
way  of  ensuring  the  permanence  of  the  Id.  rate  was  to 
grant  the  concession  asked. ^ 

The  Marquess  of  Hartington,  the  Postmaster-General,  was 
unable  to  accept  the  motion  because  he  thought  such  pro- 
posals, before  being  assented  to  by  the  House,  should  be 
thoroughly  looked  into  to  discover  whether  there  was  a  reason- 
able probability  that  the  loss  of  revenue  would  or  would  not 
be  a  permanent  loss,  and  the  Post  Office  should  be  given  ample 
time  to  consider  whether  the  additional  duties  which  would  be 
thrown  upon  it  could  be  undertaken  with  due  regard  to  other 
services,  which  were  of  greater  importance  than  the  transmis- 
sion of  circulars  or  newspapers.  The  influx  of  a  largely 
increased  number  of  circulars  and  newspapers  would  cause 
serious  embarrassment  in  the  practical  working  of  the  Post 
Office,  and  might  impair  the  efficiency  of  the  service  in  respect 
of  letters.  The  primary  business  of  the  Post  Office  being  the 
"rapid  and  punctual  transmission  of  letters,"  such  a  result 
would  give  just  cause  for  dissatisfaction. 

The  Marquess  of  Hartington  asked  that  the  motion  should 
not  be  pressed.  The  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  told  the 
House  that  he  had  not  got  £300,000  to  give  away.  Mr. 
Gladstone  also  emphasized  the  seriousness  of  the  financial 
aspect  of  the  proposals,  and  assured  the  House  that  the 
Government  honestly  intended  to  investigate  the  question, 
however  much  their  suggestion  for  deferring  a  vote  upon  it 
might  look  like  a  pretext  for  evading  it  altogether.  But  when 
the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  moved  the  previous  question, 
the  motion  was  lost  by  a  large  majority.  A  main  contention 
of  the  advocates  of  the  reduction  of  rate  was  that  in  many 

^  "Another  objection  might  be  urged  that,  by  once  touching  the  permanency 
of  the  Id.  rate  they  were  endangering  its  stability,  and  that  if  the  edge  of  the 
wedge  were  once  inserted  it  might  lead  to  the  uniform  rate  of  ^d.  He  shared 
no  such  apprehension,  and  believed  that  the  wisest  way  to  maintain  the  per- 
manency of  the  Id.  rate  was  to  remove  the  cause  of  the  agitation." — Mr.  Graves, 
6th  April  1869;  Pari  Debates  (Commons),  vol.  cxcv.  col.  241, 


NEWSPAPER   POST  IN  ENGLAND  131 

foreign  countries — in  France,  in  Belgium,  in  Switzerland,  in 
the  United  States — extremely  low  rates  of  postage  for  news- 
papers were  in  operation,  and  what  was  possible  in  those 
countries  ought  to  be  possible  in  England. 

Following  this  vote  in  the  House  of  Commons  the  matter 
was  further  considered  at  the  Post  Office,  and  in  the  next 
session  an  Act  was  passed  providing  that  any  newspaper  con- 
forming to  certain  conditions,  the  chief  of  which  were  that  it 
should  be  issued  at  intervals  of  not  more  than  seven  days 
and  should  consist  wholly  or  in  great  part  of  political  or  other 
news  or  of  articlea  relating  thereto  or  to  other  current  topics, 
should  be  entitled  to  transmission  by  post  at  the  rate  of  Jd. 
per  copy  irrespective  of  weight.  The  privilege  of  retrans- 
mission was  withdrawn.^ 

The  statutory  basis  of  the  newspaper  post  has  remained 
unchanged  since  1870,  and  the  provisions  of  the  Act  of  1870 
were  included  in  the  Post  Office  Act  of  1908,  which  contains 
*  the  present  authority  for  the  privilege.  There  has  been' some 
•necessary  interpretation  by  the  Post  Office  of  the  definition 
of  a  newspaper  as  given  in  the  Act.  The  chief  points  on 
which  difficulty  has  arisen  are  (1)  as  to  the  amount  of 
news-matter  required  in  a  pubHcation^  and  (2)  as  to  the 
character  of  the  matter  which  can  be  accepted  as  news- 
matter.  The  Act  provides  that  the  publication  should 
consist  "  wholly  or  in  great  part  of  political  or  other  news  or 
of  articles  relating  thereto,  or  to  other  current  topics."     This 

*  "  A  newspaper  with  an  impressed  stamp  circulates  free  for  fifteen  days.  It 
is  the  last  relic  of  the  old  taxes  on  knowledge.  The  law  is  complicated  and 
leads  to  fraud  by  the  abuse  of  free  transmission.  An  unstamped  newspaper  now 
goes  at  the  rate  of  Id.  for  every  4  ounces,  and  every  fraction  of  4  ounces. 
About  35,000,000  newspapers  pass  through  the  Post  Office  annually  with  an  im- 
pressed stamp,  and  about  the  same  number  without.  What  we  propose  to  do  is 
to  abolish  the  impressed  stamp  altogether,  at  a  loss  to  the  Revenue  of  £120,000. 
.  .  .  Then  we  propose  to  carry  all  newspapers  which  weigh  less  than  6  ounces 
for  a  ^d.  That  will  be  limited  to  bona  fide  newspapers  ;  but  we  propose,  instead 
of  Id.  for  every  4  ounces  and  fract;  on  of  4  ounces,  to  charge  Jd. for  every  2  ounces 
of  other  printed  matter.  There  will  in  this  way  be  a  loss  to  the  Post  Ofiice,  over 
and  above  that  incurred  by  the  abolition  of  the  impressed  stamp,  of  £260,000  a 
year.  There  may  be  besides  some  additional  expense  in  connection  with  build- 
ing and  the  increase  in  the  number  of  persons  to  be  employed  ;  but  this  has  not 
been  estimated  for,  and  the  amount  cannot  be  very  large." — Chancellor  of  the 
Exchequer,  11th  April  1870 ;  Pari.  Debates  {Commons),  vol.  cc.  col.  1636.  The 
limitation  to  6  ounces  was  withdrawn.    Ibid.,  vol.  cciii.  col,  1383. 


132  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

requirement  is  considered  to  be  satisfied  if  as  much  as  one- 
third  of  the  pubHcation  consists  of  matter  accepted  as  news. 
The  proportion,  when  fixed,  was  based  on  an  examination  of 
the  proportion  of  news-matter  contained  in  the  average  news- 
paper, and  represents  the  actual  proportion  then  generally 
met  with.  There  is  no  provision  regarding  the  proportion 
to  be  maintained  between  the  size  of  a  newspaper  within  the 
meaning  of  the  Act  and  its  supplement,  but,  under  the 
accepted  interpretation  of  the  statute,  a  newspaper  may- 
contain  a  supplement  of  equal  size,  and  that  supplement  may 
consist  wholly  of  advertisements.  The  result  of  this  is  that 
publications  containing  a  proportion  of  only  one-sixth  of 
news-matter  may  pass  at  the  newspaper  rate  of  postage.  As 
to  the  second  requirement,  a  strict  interpretation  of  the 
regulation  is  not  insisted  on,  and,  in  general,  articles,  pictures, 
or  drawings  relating  to  any  matters  of  current  or  topical 
interest  are  accepted. 

This  lack  of  precision  in  the  provisions  of  the  Act,  and  the 
consequent  difficulty  of  framing  or  enforcing  regulations 
restricting  the  privilege  within  even  reasonable  limits,  have 
been  largely  taken  advantage  of,  especially  in  recent  years, 
by  the  publishers  of  trade  and  fashion  papers,  with  the  result 
that  publications  weighing  in  some  cases  as  much  as  3  pounds 
are  sent  through  the  post  at  the  usual  newspaper  rate  of  a 
halfpenny.  Nor  are  the  enormous  weight  of  these  papers,  and 
the  large  proportion  of  advertisement  matter,  the  only  objec- 
tions. The  news-matter  on  which  they  rely  as  entitling  them  to 
the  newspaper  privilege  is  often  of  the  most  doubtful  character, 
consisting  largely  of  accounts  of  shop  sales  or  of  commercial 
exhibitions,  with  lengthy  descriptions  of  the  articles  displayed. 

This  abuse  of  the  privilege  is,  however,  confined  to  a  com- 
paratively small  proportion  of  the  newspapers  entitled  to 
transmission  at  the  newspaper  rate.  With  the  fall  in  the 
price  of  paper,  and  the  improvements  in  printing  methods 
and  machinery,  all  newspapers  have  tended  to  increase  in 
size.  But  in  general  the  increase  has  been  small.  In  1855  the 
average  weight  of  newspapers  passing  by  post  was  3"1  ounces,^ 
and  in  1913  it  had  increased  to  4'1  ounces.  The  number 
of  papers  entitled  to  the  privilege  which  could  be  regarded  as 
»  Pari,  Debates  {Commons),  7th  May  1855,  vol.  cxxxviii.  col.  197. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  ENGLAND  133 

excessively  heavy  is  not  more  than  about  50  (out  of  a  total  of 
some  2,200),^  and  although  practically  all  these  papers  are 
published  in  London,  and  are  largely  distributed  through  the 
post,  they  do  not  form  more  than  a  small  proportion  of  the 
total  number  of  packets  passing  by  newspaper  post.  But 
such  of  these  publications  of  vast  bulk  and  v^eight  as  are  sent 
at  the  newspaper  rate  derive  a  great  advantage — an  advantage 
measured  by  the  heavy  loss  incurred  by  the  Post  Office  in 
respect  of  each  such  publication. ^ 

Many  of  the  moderately  heavy  papers,  such  as  the  ordinary 
sixpenny  London  newspapers,  are  for  the  most  part  in 
compliance  both  with  the  letter  and  the  spirit  of  the  regu- 
lations, and  their  transmission  at  the  ^d.  rate  is  not, 
perhaps,  open  to  serious  objection.  But  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  if  the  possibility  of  developments  in  the  publica- 
tion of  trade  journals  such  as  have  occurred,  had  been  fore- 
seen, some  provision  would  have  been  made  for  the  prevention 
of  the  transmission  at  heavy  loss  to  the  Post  Office  of  large 
numbers  of  pubHcations  which  are,  in  effect,  trade  catalogues. 
While  the  newspaper  post  involves  a  very  considerable  loss, 
it  affords  the  public  a  useful  facility,  and  one  which  is 
largely  availed  of  for  the  purpose  the  Act  of  1870  was 
intended  to  assist,  viz.  the  dissemination  of  intelligence.3 

The  rate  has  proved  too  high  to  secure  a  large  postal 
traffic  in  newspapers.  The  total  number  passing  by  post 
within  the  United  Kingdom  in  1913  was  some  200  millions, 
which,  in  days  when  individual  daily  newspapers  publish  as 
many  as  a  million  copies  of  every  issue,  is  only  an  insignifi- 
cant portion  of  the  newspaper  traffic  of  the  country.  It  is 
also  only  a  small  portion  of  the  total  postal  traffic,  which 
in  the  same  year  amounted  to  some  6,000  millions.  In 
this  respect  there  has  been  a  great  transformation.  Under 
the  old  conditions  newspapers  were  distributed  almost  ex- 
clusively by  post,  and  formed  a  large  proportion  of  the  total 

'  In  1899  the  number  of  registered  newspapers  which  normally  exceeded 
8  ounces  in  weight  was  29. 

»  See  infra,  p.  293.  The  size  and  weight  of  many  of  the  large  trade  papers  has 
decreased  in  consequence  of  the  war, 

3  «'  Newspapers  and  books  are  carried  at  a  low  rate  for  the  sake  of  the  edu- 
cation and  general  information  of  the  people." — Mr,  W.  Monsell  (Postmaster- 
General),  14th  March  1871 ;  Pari.  Debates  {Commons),  vol.  cciv.  col,  2014, 


134  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

number  of  postal  packets  and  by  far  the  greater  bulk  of  all 
the  mails,^  while  now  they  form  only  an  inconsiderable 
proportion  both  in  bulk  and  number.  The  Post  Ofi&ce  has 
no  monopoly  of  the  distribution  of  newspapers,  and  for  the 
most  part  newspaper  publishers  theniselves  provide  for  the 
distribution  of  by  far  the  larger  part  of  their  issues.  In  all 
the  large  towns  this  is  the  case.^  Private  enterprise  can  of 
course  compete  wherever  the  traffic  would  be  profitable,  and 
private  agencies  provide  satisfactorily  for  the  distribution  of 
the  vast  proportion  of  newspapers,  it  being  found  practicable 
throughout  a  large  part  of  the  country  to  place  newspapers 
on  sale  at  the  published  price ;  and  in  all  such  cases  pay- 
ment of  postage,  which  in  the  days  of  the  halfpenny  news- 
paper represents  an  additional  charge  of  100  per  cent, 
on  the  published  price,  is  oat  of  the  question.  Only  those 
for  the  more  remote  towns  and  country  districts  are  left 
to  the  Post  Office  ;  but  the  newspaper  traffic  by  post,  although 
conducted  at  a  loss,  comprises  so  small  a  part  of  the  whole 
postal  traffic,  that  the  result  on  the  finances  of  the  Post 
Office  is  not  serious.  If,  however,  sucli  an  unremunerative 
rate  were  applied  to  a  class  of  traffic  likely  to  assume  large 
proportions  the  result  would  be  financially  disastrous,  and 
this  is  the  answer  to  such  suggestions  as  those  of  Mr.  Wells 
to  extend  the  newspaper  rate  to  other  classes  of  printed 
matter.3 

*  In  1854  the  average  weight  of  the  mails  which  left  London  daily  was 
279  cwt.  of  which  219  cwt.  consisted  of  newspapers. 

=*  Only  some  150  copies  of  the  Daily  Mail  are  delivered  in  London  by  the 
post  each  day. 

3  "There  is  no  reason  whatever  why  the  Post  Office  should  charge  a  man 
threepence  or  fourpence  for  a  book  and  a  halfpenny  for  these  vast  trade 
circulars,  and  it  would  be  the  simplest,  as  well  as  the  wisest  and  most  bene- 
ficial of  reforms,  to  bring  the  book  post  down  to  the  newspaper  level." — 
H.  G.  Wells,  Mankind  in  the  Making.    London,  1914,  chap.  ix. 

The  following  further  suggestions  by  Mr.  Wells  are  reprinted  here  for  the 
consideration  of  postal  reformers.  Their  adoption  involves  merely  an  extension 
of  the  principle  of  State  benefit. 

"Now,  in  the  first  place,  the  post  office  as  one  finds  it  in  Great  Britain 
might  very  well  be  converted  into  a  much  more  efficient  distributing  agency 
by  a  few  simple  modifications  in  its  method.  At  present,  in  a  large  number 
of  country  places  in  Great  Britain,  a  penny  paper  costs  three-halfpence 
including  the  necessary  halfpenny  for  postage,  and  the  poorer  people  can 
afford  no  paper  at  all,  because  the  excellent  system  in  practice  abroad  of 
subscribing  to  any  registered  periodical  at  the  post  office  and  having  it   de- 


NEWSPAPER  POST   IN   ENGLAND  135 

In  1913  the  privilege  of  transmission  at  the  Jd.  rate 
was  extended  to  colonial  newspapers,  registered  for  the 
purpose  in  this  country. 

Note. — On  the  1st  November  1915,  as  part  of  the  war  increases  of  postage,  the 
rate  on  newspapers  was  altered  to  Jd.  for  every  6  ounces  or  part  of  6  ounces. 


livered  with  the  letters  has  not  been  adopted.  Government  publications  and 
Government  maps,  which  ought  also  to  be  obtainable  at  a  day's  notice,  through 
the  Post  Office  and  post  free,  have  to  bo  purchased  at  present  in  the  most 
devious  way  through  a  remote  agent  in  London.  There  is  no  public  reason 
whatever  why  a  more  intimate  connection  should  not  be  established  between 
the  Stationery  Office  and  the  Post  Office." — Ibid. 

"  It  would  be  the  simplest  thing  in  the  world  to  have  a  complete,  business-like 
catalogue  of  Government  publications,  kept  standing  in  type  and  reissued  and 
reprinted  quarterly,  distributed  to  every  post  office,  and  by  its  means  one  ought  to 
be  able  to  order  whatever  one  wanted  at  once,  pay  for  it  on  the  spot,  and  get  it 
delivered  to  any  address  in  Great  Britain  in  the  next  twenty-four  hours." — Ibid. 


NEWSPAPER    POST    IN    CANADA 

No  special  provision  for  the  transmission  of  newspapers  had 
been  made  in  the  Act  of  1765  which  first  prescribed  rates  of 
postage  for  the  Canadian  territories.  Consequently,  if  sent 
in  the  mails,  they  were,  in  strictness,  liable  to  postage  at 
the  ordinary  rates  for  letters  and  packets.  Those  rates  would 
generally  have  amounted  to  at  least  a  shilling  a  copy,  and 
would  therefore  have  prevented  altogether  the  distribution  of 
newspapers  by  post.  Postage  was  in  practice  waived,  news- 
papers being  allowed  to  pass  by  post  on  payment  of  a  small 
charge  quarterly  to  the  Deputy  Postmaster-General,  who 
retained  the  proceeds  as  a  perquisite  of  his  office.  The 
amount  was  at  first  a  mere  trifle ;  but  in  later  days  it 
formed  the  greater  part  of  his  emoluments.  The  precise  date 
at  which  this  arrangement  was  established  is  uncertain.  It 
certainly  existed  in  Nova  Scotia  in  1770,  and  probably  com- 
menced on  the  first  publication  of  a  newspaper  in  Canada.^ 
The  rates  charged  were  low,  and  were  varied  from  time  to 
time  at  the  will  of  t*he  Deputy  Postmaster-General.  The 
following,  which  were  charged  in  Canada  in  1840,  may, 
however,  be  regarded  as  typical : — 

For  a  weekly  paper  . .         . ,         . .         . .  la.  Od.  currency  a  quarter 

,,    bi-weekly      ,,  . .  Is.  3d.         ,,  ,, 

,,    tri-weekly     ,,  ..  Is.  6d.        „  „ 

„    daily  ,,  2s.  3d. 

In  the  Maritime  Provinces  the  rates  were  somewhat  lower, 
the  charge  for  a  weekly  paper  being  only  2s.  6d.  a  year. 

These  amounts  were  payable  by  the  proprietor  of  the  paper, 
and  were  accepted  only  in  respect  of   papers   sent   regularly. 

*  Report  of  Special  Committee^  House  of  Assembly ,  Lower  Canada^  11th  February 
1832,  p.  10. 

136 


NEWSPAPER   POST   IN   CANADA  137 

Papers  mailed  casually  by  persons  other  than  publishers, 
and  denominated  "transients,"  were  charged  Id.  currency 
each.  The  publishers  thought  even  these  moderate  charges 
objectionable,  and  the  feeling  against  them  was  increased 
when  it  became  known  that  they  rested  on  no  legal  authority, 
but  solely  on  the  custom  of  the  ofifice  and  the  sanction  of 
Sir  Francis  Freeling ;  and  that  the  proceeds,  instead  of  being 
accounted  for  as  part  of  the  general  Post  Office  revenue, 
were  appropriated  by  the  Deputy  Postmaster-General.  They 
were  also  objected  to  as  arbitrary  and  inequitable,  since  papers 
were  charged  the  same  rate  whether  they  were  conveyed 
20  miles  or  200  miles.  As  letters  were  at  that  time  charged 
on  a  scale  of  rates  graduated  according  to  distance,  the 
application  of  the  principle  of  uniformity  to  the  newspapers 
was  naturally  not  appreciated ;  and  in  view  of  the  heavy 
charges  incurred  for  transportation  it  could  not  have  been 
justified  on  economic  grounds. 

The  resentment  against  the  charge  first  took  definite  form 
in  the  Lower  Provinces.  In  1830  a  Mr.  Ward,  a  publisher, 
petitioned  the  Nova  Scotian  House  of  Assembly  to  be  re- 
lieved from  the  charges  on  his  newspapers.  A  Committee 
of  the  House,  which  considered  the  matter,  found  that  under 
the  Imperial  Acts  it  was  no  part  of  the  duty  of  the  Deputy 
Postmaster-General  to  receive  or  transmit  newspapers,  other 
than  those  received  from  Great  Britain,  and  that  the  Deputy 
was  therefore  justified  in  making  the  charge  complained  of. 
They  found  also  that  sixty  years  earlier  the  Deputy  made  a 
yearly  charge  of  2s.  6d.  on  each  newspaper  sent  by  post,  and 
that  at  that  time  all  editors  acquiesced  in  the  charge.  At  the 
same  time  the  Committee  regarded  the  charge  as  so  undesir- 
able that  they  recommended  the  House  should  grant  a  sum 
to  remunerate  the  Deputy  for  his  services  in  transmitting 
newspapers,  in  order  that  the  charges  might  be  abolished. 

The  Deputy  Postmaster-General  in  the  Lower  Provinces 
was  himself  a  pubHsher,  and  it  was  alleged  that  he  was 
interested  directly  or  indirectly  in  every  newspaper  published 
in  Nova  Scotia,  with  the  exception  of  two,  with  the  result 
that,  while  all  the  newspapers  in  which  he  was  interested 
passed  free  of  postage,  the  two  outsiders  were  made  to  pay. 
The   Deputy  Postmaster-General    himself    seemed    to    think 


138  RATES  -OF  POSTAGE 

the  arrangement  was  best  kept  in  the  background.  "When 
questioned  by  the  House  of  Assembly,  he  adopted  a  reticent 
attitude  and  made  equivocating  statements.  He  gave  par- 
ticulars purporting  to  show  the  amounts  paid  as  postage  in 
respect  of  certain  newspapers  controlled  by  him,  and  on 
further  interrogation  by  the  House  of  Assembly  admitted 
that  the  journals  paid  no  postage. 

Meanwhile,  publishers  in  both  Lower  and  Upper  Canada 
also  were  working  for  the  abolition  of  the  Deputy  Post- 
master-General's privilege.  In  December  1830  a  publisher 
of  Montreal,  Mr.  K.  Armour,  approached  Sir  Francis  FreeHng, 
declaring  that  the  subject  might  eventually  involve  a 
question  of  high  constitutional  importance,  viz.  "  to  what 
extent  the  Post  Office  of  Great  Britain  is  authorized  by 
law  to  regulate  the  internal  Post  Office  establishments 
of  the  Colony,  and  to  draw  a  Kevenue  therefrom."  He 
received  no  satisfaction  from  Sir  Francis  Freeling,  who 
replied  that  the  charges  were  "the  long  established  and 
authorized  perquisite  of  the  Officer  in  question  (the  Deputy 
Postmaster-General)  and  that  all  Newspapers  circulated  by 
post  in  British  North  America  otherwise  than  under  his 
privilege  are  liable  by  Law  to  the  charge  of  the  full  rates 
of  Postage." 

Mr.  Armour  then  petitioned  the  local  Legislature,  and 
towards  the  end  of  the  year  a  Committee  of  the  House  of 
Assembly  was  appointed  to  consider  the  whole  question  of 
the  management  of  the  Post  Office  in  the  province  of  Lower 
Canada.  The  Committee  found  it  impossible  to  obtain  any 
useful  information  concerning  the  finances  of  the  service 
from  the  Deputy  Postmaster-General,  Mr.  T.  A.  Stayner, 
whose  attitude  was  a  source  of  much  irritation,  resulting  in 
great  intensity  of  feeling  both  against  the  privilege  of  the 
Deputy  and  the  administration  of  the  service  from  London. 

In  1832  the  publishers  in  Upper  Canada,  who  were  working 
in  concert  with  the  publishers  of  Lower  Canada,  also  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  the  appoiiftment  of  a  Committee  of  the 
House  of  Assembly.  This  Committee,  in  its  Report, 
challenged  the  legality  of  any  postage  charge  whatever 
raised  in  the  province  under  authority  of  the  British  Post- 
master-General. 


NEWSPAPER   POST   IN  CANADA  139 

In  1833  the  publishers  in  Nova  Scotia  submitted  a  petition 
to  the  King,  but  obtained  no  satisfaction.^ 

In  the  Lower  Provinces  there  was  a  sentiment  in  favour 
of  the  free  transmission  of  newspapers,  which  had  been 
encouraged,  if  not  originally  induced,  by  the  circumstance 
that  for  a  considerable  period  the  holder  of  the  office  of 
Deputy  Postmaster-General  for  those  provinces,  Mr.  Howe, 
took  little  trouble  to  enforce  the  payment  of  that  postage 
which,  when  paid,  was  his  perquisite,  preferring  to  forgo  the 
proceeds  rather  than  incur  the  risk  of  odium  which  might 
attach  to  any  attempt  to  enforce  his  privilege.^ 

In  1842  Mr.  Edmund  Ward,  the  publisher  of  the  Federation 
Sentinel y  petitioned  the  Lieutenant-Governor  and  House  of 
Assembly  in  New  Brunswick  for  the  abolition  of  the  post- 
age rate  on  newspapers,  on  the  grounds  that  it  was  illegal, 
a  tax  on  knowledge,  and  of  no  benefit  to  the  public 
revenue,  since  the  proceeds  were  retained  by  an  official 
already  adequately  remunerated  for  his  services.  The  petition 
was  submitted  to  the  Home  authorities ;  and  the  Solicitor 
to  the  Post  Office  advised  that,  since  the  Act  of  1837  repealed 
the  Act  of  the  4th  of  George  III,  cap.  34,  the  charge  on 
newspapers  made  by  the  Deputy  Postmaster-General  in  North 
America  rested  on  no  legal  basis,  and  long  established  usage 
and  custom  was  the  only  justification  for  allowing  newspapers 

*  Sir  Francis  Freeling  replied  to  the  petition.  He  said  the  practice  of  his 
Deputy  in  North  America  was  not  illegal,  but  was  based  on  an  Act  of  Parliament 
authorizing  certain  of  his  officers  to  circulate  newspapers  by  post ;  that  as  it  had 
been  in  existence  since  the  first  establishment  of  the  Post  Office  in  the  colony, 
the  petitioners  must  have  entered  into  the  business  with  a  full  knowledge  of  the 
charge  to  which  their  publications  would  be  subject  if  sent  by  post ;  there  was 
no  stamp  duty  in  the  colonies  to  give  the  publishers  a  right  to  free  transmission ; 
and,  moreover,  the  amount  of  the  charge  was  less  than  the  similar  charge  in  the 
United  States. 

=  "Mr.  Howe  was  very  loose,  and  rarely  took  any  stops  to  obtain  or  enforce  the 
payments  of  the  amounts  due  to  him  for  the  transmission  of  Journals  through 
the  Post.  .  .  . 

"I  cannot  look  upon  it  as  the  mere  collection  of  a  private  source  of  emolument 
to  the  officer,  but  I  conceive  that  the  Department  is  interested  in  the  question 
not  only  inasmuch  as  the  amount  received  from  this  source  goes  in  aid  of  a 
larger  salary  to  the  officer,  but  that  whenever  the  time  comes  that  the  substitu- 
tion of  a  postage  rate  on  newspapers  supersedes  the  present  mode  of  sending 
them,  a  due  enforcement  of  such  rate  will  be  most  unfavourably  received,  if  a 
free  transmission  has  been  previously  permitted  from  the  negligence  of  the  party 
to  whom  the  collection  of  the  charge  was  deputed  and  whose  perquisite  it  was." — 
Report  of  Mr.  Page,  1842  {British  Official  Records). 


U%  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

to  pass  by  post  at  less  than  the  legal  rate.  The  House  of 
Assembly  in  New  Brunswick  also  took  up  the  question  on 
their  own  account.  Like  the  Nova  Scotians,  they  were 
anxious  to  facilitate  the  distribution  of  newspapers.  They 
regarded  the  charge  for  postage  as  an  odious  tax  on  knowledge, 
and  in  1844,  in  a  joint  Address  to  his  Majesty,  recommended 
its  abolition. 

In  1842  the  House  of  Assembly  of  Nova  Scotia  also 
petitioned  for  the  abolition  of  postage  on  newspapers  and 
pamphlets,  contending  that  the  proceeds  of  the  postage  rate, 
which  was  collected  from  the  country  districts,  on  which  it 
lay  as  a  heavy  burden,  did  not  benefit  the  general  revenue, 
since  they  were  appropriated  by  the  Deputy  Postmaster- 
General,  and  that  the  newspapers  were  well-nigh  the  only 
vehicle  of  information  in  the  province.  In  reply,  the  British 
authorities  pointed  out  that  since  pamphlets  were  charged 
as  letters  in  England,  the  Treasury  could  not  sanction  he6 
transmission  in  the  colonies;  moreover,  even  with  the  ex- 
isting rate,  the  number  of  newspapers  sent  by  post  was 
increasing  so  rapidly  that  it  was  becoming  a  matter  of  some 
difficulty,  on  account  of  the  bad  condition  of  the  roads  in 
the  province,  to  provide  for  their  transmission  from  place 
to  place.  Free  transmission  was  therefore  not  conceded; 
but  in  July  1844  certain  changes  were  made  in  the  general 
system  of  rates,  and  the  Deputy  Postmaster-General's  news- 
paper privilege  was  withdrawn,  a  uniform  rate  of  Jd.  per 
sheet  for  transmission  to  any  point  in  Nova  Scotia,  New 
Brunswick,  Canada,  and  Prince  Edward  Island  being 
established. 

When  the  Post  Office  service  throughout  British  North 
America  was  unified  and  transferred  to  provincial  control, 
the  then  existing  rates  of  postage  on  newspapers  and 
pamphlets  were  continued,  but  power  was  reserved  to  each 
Legislature  to  authorize  transmission  within  its  respective 
province  free  of  postage.  By  virtue  of  this  power  Nova  Scotia 
in  1852  aboHshed  altogether  the  rate  of  postage  on  news- 
papers, taking  pride  in  the  fact  that  they  were  the  first 
authority  in  British  North  America  to  grant  the  boon.  New 
Brunswick  soon  followed  suit.  But  the  result  of  this,  coupled 
with  the  reduction  in  letter  postage  at  the  unification,  was 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  CANADA  141 

adverse  to  the  finances  of  the  service  in  these  provinces. 
For  several  years  the  accounts  showed  a  deficit,  which 
was  met  by  the  provinces  cheerfully  as  a  contribution  of 
no  less  value  than  contributions  made  for  roads,  bridges, 
and  schools.^ 

In  connection  with  the  changes  introduced  at  the  time  of 
the  Confederation,  a  charge  for  the  transmission  of  news- 
papers by  post  was  made  general  throughout  the  federated 
area.  The  charge  met  with  considerable  opposition  from 
the  Maritime  Provinces,  which  thus  lost  the  boon  of  free 
transmission.2  It  was  justified  as  nothing  more  nor  less 
than  a  simple  charge  for  freight,  the  remission  of  which  would 
be  to  offer  a  bounty  to  a  particular  industry.  The  possibilities 
of  usefulness  of  the  Post  Office  would,  it  was  argued,  be  greatly 
reduced  if  the  service  were  loaded  with  the  burden  of  the 
gratuitous  distribution  of  newspapers  throughout  so  vast  a 
country ;  since,  if  from  the  diminution  of  revenue  which  such 
a  course  must  produce,  the  department  were  forced  to  look 
to  Parliament  for  assistance.  Parliament  would  be  disposed  to 
discourage  the  establishment  of  new  offices  in  the  thinly 
settled  districts,  where  it  was  of  the  greatest  importance 
that  they  should  be  found. 3 

The  arguments  of  members  from  the  Maritime  Provinces 
were  somewhat  diverse.  They  said  there  was  an  essential 
distinction  between  letters  and  newspapers,  in  that  letters 
were  private  communications  between  individuals,  while  news- 
papers were  in  some  measure  the  organs  of  communication 
between  the  Government  and  the  people,  and  furnished  the 
only  means  by  which  to  acquire  that  acquaintance  with  the 
law  which  everybody  was  presumed  to  possess.     Newspapers 

*  "  It  may  fairly  be  viewed  in  the  same  light  as  the  amounts  annually  granted 
by  the  Legislature  for  roads  and  bridges,  and  for  the  support  of  common  schools. 
The  mail  carriage  to  all  parts  of  the  province  secures  us  the  travelling  public 
conveyance  which  would  not  otherwise  exist,  and  the  very  large  amount  of  news- 
papers, etc.,  which  pass  through  the  Post  Office  affords  strong  evidence  that  the 
Department  may  be  considered  a  branch  of  our  educational  system." — Post- 
master-General of  New  Brunswick,  1857. 

"  "  Already  they  found  a  tax  proposed  on  every  poor  man  who  took  a  newspaper 
for  the  information  of  his  family ;  a  stamp  tax,  an  impost  unknown  in  the 
Maritime  Provinces,  and  one  which  had  cost  England  half  this  continent." — Mr. 
Macdonald  in  Canadian  House  of  Commons,  12th  December  1867   {Ottawa  Times). 

3  Sir  John  A.  MacDonald  in  Canadian  House  of  Commons,  20th  December 
1867,  ibid. 


142  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

occupied  a  similar  position  to  that  of  schools,  and  presented 
one  of  the  easiest  channels  of  enlightenment.  In  many  cases, 
for  the  ordinary  folk  no  other  means  of  education  were 
open.  On  them  the  tax  would  be  an  imposition  which 
might  be  contrasted,  it  was  said,  with  the  favour  accorded 
to  the  commercial  and  wealthy  classes  by  the  reduction  in  the 
postage  on  letters. 

It  was  further  argued  that  in  the  existing  state  of  the 
Dominion,  owing  to  the  presence  of  a  certain  amount  of 
sectional  feeling  and  mutual  hostility  between  different  por- 
tions of  the  country,  which  could  be  attributed  largely  to 
the  lack  of  that  sort  of  information  which  newspapers  could 
provide,  it  would  be  folly  to  hinder  the  freest  possible 
distribution.^  Moreover,  a  postage  charge  would  fall  un- 
equally. The  large  towns  and  thickly  populated  areas  would 
be  able  to  obtain  their  papers  by  means  of  the  railroad  or 
other  agency  at  little  cost;  but  the  outlying  districts,  which 
ought  to  be  treated  with  special  favour  by  the  Legislature? 
would  have  no  alternative  to  the  payment  of  postage.  The 
large  newspapers  would  be  able  to  distribute  their  issues 
by  express,  while  the  smaller  ones  would  be  compelled  to  use 
the  post.  The  '*  tax "  would  yield  only  some  $25,000  a 
year  in  Nova  Scotia;  and  for  such  a  paltry  sum  it  surely 
could  not  be  wise  to  levy  this  "tax  upon  knowledge,"  which 
"  of  all  the  heavy  burdens  laid  upon  Nova  Scotia  was  the 
most  oppressive."  ^ 

These  arguments  were  ineffective,  and  a  rate  which  averaged 
half  a  cent  a  copy  was  imposed.  In  1875  the  rate  was 
modified,  and  made  a  bulk  rate  of  1  cent  a  pound,  an 
extremely  low  rate.  The  average  weight  of  newspapers  at 
that '  time  was  so  small  that,  in  the  case  of  certain  typical 
papers  selected  by  the  Government  for  the  purpose,  it  was 
found  that  the  numbers  required  to  make  up  a  pound  were 
from  ten  to  fifteen.  In  1874  the  total  yield  under  the  old  rate 
had   been  only  some  $36,000.     The   new   rate  was  therefore 

^  ♦•  If  ever  there  was  a  time  when  it  was  necessary  for  the  interests  of  the  whole 
Dominion  that  just  the  sort  of  information  which  newspapers  conveyed  should 
be  disseminated  through  all  the  Provinces,  it  was  now." — Hon.  Dr.  Tupper  in 
Canadian  House  of  Commons,  20th  December  1867  {Ottawa  Times). 

"  Mr,  Savary  in  Canadian  House  of  Commons,  20th  December  1867  (ibid.). 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  CANADA  143 

likely  to  yield  only  some  $6,000  a  year,  and  the  advocates 
of  free  transmission  argued  that  as  such  a  small  sum  would 
hardly  be  worth  the  trouble  of  keeping  the  accounts,  the 
Government,  having  gone  so  far,  might  well  have  taken  a 
step  further  and  abolished  altogether  the  postage  on  news- 
papers. The  Government  defence  was  that  the  rate  pro- 
posed was  the  lowest  possible,  and  to  mail  free  the  papers 
published  in  the  various  parts  of  the  Dominion  would  be  to 
impose  too  heavy  a  burden  upon  the  public  treasury.^ 

The  Canadian  people  had  only  to  wait  a  few  years  for  the 
boon.  In  1882  an  Act  was  passed  "  to  provide  for  the  free 
transmission  of  Canadian  newspapers  within  the  Dominion.'* 
No  discussion  on  the  measure  took  place  in  Parliament, 
and  authoritative  statements  of  the  reasons  inducing  the 
adoption  of  so  generous  a  policy  are  not  to  be  obtained ;  ^ 
but  in  well-informed  quarters  it  is  held  that,  in  general,  the 
leniency  shown  to  newspapers  is  not  due  solely  to  the  accept- 
ance by  Parliament  of  the  arguments  usually  advanced  in 
their  favour,  plausible  and  convincing  as  they  probably  are 
to  many  minds,  but  has  always  been  dictated  more  or  less 
by  fear  of  the  political  power  wielded  by  them ;  or,  what  is 
really  the  same  thing,  as  a  result  of  direct  pressure  at  Ottawa 
by  the  newspaper  proprietors,  based  on  their  influence  with 
the  electors  or  the  chiefs  of  parties,  and  exercised  in  their 
own  interests.3 

In  this  view,  the  ultimate  step  taken  in  1882  marked  no 
concession  to  popular  sentiment,  but  the  climax  of  the  power 
of  the  newspaper  interest,  and  a  consummation  for  which 
they  had  long  striven. 

At  the  same  time  the  total  abolition  of  postage  on  news- 

'  Hon.  Mr.  Mackenzie  in  Canadian  House  of  Commons,  Pari.  Debates,  Canada 
(Commons),  22nd  February  1875. 

"  "  There  was  good  reason  for  the  enactment  of  the  old  law  that  made  the  rate 
for  the  carriage  of  newspapers  a  cent  a  pound,  and  there  never  was  even  a  sem- 
blance of  sense  or  reason  or  any  request  for  the  repeal  of  that  law.  The  truth  is 
that  its  repeal  was  a  mere  whim  of  a  gentleman  of  the  Senate,  who,  anxious  to 
pose  in  the  niche  of  personal  popularity,  jollied  through  Parliament  a  measure 
that  has  cost  this  country  in  postal  rates  millions  of  dollars,  creating  a  big  deficit 
in  the  spending  department,  which  has  stood  in  the  way  of  reform  every  time  a 
reform  was  proposed." — Mr.  Ross  Robertson,  Pari.  Debates,  Canada  {Commons), 
V.Mh.  May  1898. 

3  See  Pari.  Debates^  Canada  {C(ymmons)^  11th  July  1900. 


144  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

papers  was  in  accord  with  the  widespread  feeling,  which  had 
from  an  early  period  found  expression  in  the  Legislatures  of 
the  Canadian  provinces :  the  feeling  that  newspapers  are  of 
great  educational  value,  especially  in  new  countries  and  in 
countries  with  an  extended  franchise,  such  as  had  been  the 
Canadian  provinces  almost  from  their  first  organization;  that 
in  such  countries  it  was  necessary  to  educate  the  sovereign 
people;  and  that  newspapers  afforded  the  best  and  most 
practicable  way.^ 

During  the  period  of  free  transmission,  which  continued 
some  seventeen  years,  the  number  and  gross  weight  of 
newspapers  sent  through  the  post  increased  enormously,  and 
the  privilege  was  considerably  abused.  Numerous  publica- 
tions were  constantly  appearing  demanding  free  transmission, 
and  in  many  cases  they  were  of  very  questionable  character ; 
that  is  to  say  that,  while  conforming  to  the  letter  of  the 
requirements  of  the  law,  they  were  often  not  genuine  news- 
papers at  all,  but  mere  vehicles  for  the  distribution  of  trade 
advertisements.  The  vast  increase  in  the  cost  of  dealing  with 
the  quantity  of  newspapers  sent  through  the  mails  became 
a  question  for  serious  consideration.  Heavy  demands  were 
being  made  by  the  railway  companies  for  increases  in  the 
amount  of  their  remuneration  for  the  conveyance  of  mails,  on 
the  ground  of  the  increase  in  tonnage  due  to  the  very  large 
numbers  of  newspapers  being  sent.  The  actual  statistics  of 
the  Post  Ofiice  traffic  in  Canada  are  illuminating  on  this 
point.  In  1897  the  total  weight  of  newspapers  passing  in  the 
mails  was  16,500,000  pounds,  and  the  estimated  number  of 
newspapers  175,000,000.    For  the  same  year  the  total  number 

^  The  following  remarks  by  Sir  Charles  Tupper  in  the  Dominion  House  of 
Commons,  though  made  at  a  somewhat  later  date,  will  illustrate  this.  He  said : 
"There  is  abundant  evidence  that  manhood  suffrage  in  the  Dominion  is  a  far 
higher  franchise  than  manhood  suffrage  in  Great  Britain,  for  the  reason  that 
there  are  tens  of  thousands  of  electors  in  the  United  Kingdom  who  go  to  the  polls 
without  having  the  remotest  idea  not  only  of  public  questions  before  the  country, 
but,  if  their  lives  depended  on  it,  they  could  not  state  who  is  the  Prime  Minister 
of  Great  Britain  to-day.  I  give  that  as  an  indication  of  the  great  advance  the 
people  of  Canada  have  made  in  intelligence  ;  and  the  thorough  knowledge  which 
the  mass  of  the  people  here  have  in  respect  of  the  political  issues,  and  aU  other 
questions  of  that  kind,  as  well  as  general  information,  rests  largely  on  the  fact 
that  newspapers  have  so  largely  increased  in  circulation  until  they  now  reach 
almost  every  individual  in  the  country." — Sir  Charles  Tupper,  Pari.  Debates^ 
Canada  {Commons),  13th  May  1898. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN   CANADA  145 

of  letters  passing  through  the  post  was  123,000,000,  and  their 
total  weight  5,000,000  pounds.^ 

In  1898  the  Canadian  Government  desired  to  reduce  the 
internal  letter  postage,  which  still  stood  at  3  cents,  to  the 
almost  universal  rate  of  2  cents ;  ^  but  the  loss  of  revenue 
which  such  a  reduction  would  entail  was  so  great  that  they 
were  driven  to  seek  fresh  revenue  to  meet  the  deficiency. 
In  view  of  the  abuses  of  the  newspaper  privilege,  and  the 
generally  unsatisfactory  position  which  had  developed,  this 
was  thought  to  be  a  suitable  occasion  for  the  reimposition  of 
postage  on  newspapers. 3  The  rate  proposed  was  J  cent  a 
pound.  Opposition  to  the  change  was  made  on  the  same 
grounds  as  in  1867  :  that  newspapers  were  the  real  educators 
of  the  people,  that  the  dissemination  of  intelligence,  par- 
ticularly of  political  intelligence,  was  of  the  utmost  importance, 
and  that  no  impediment  should  be  put  in  the  way  of  their 
freest  possible  distribution. 

The  great  necessity  for  a  new  source  of  postal  revenue 
made  it  impossible,  however,  to  continue  the  free  privilege  in 
its  entirety,  and  the  J-cent  bulk  rate  was  carried.  The  free 
privilege  was  continued  for  local  papers  distributed  within  a 

'  In  iGreat  Britain  the  figures  are  in  very  different  proportion.  While  the 
letters  are  3,500,000,000,  the  newspapers  are  only  some  200,000,000.  The 
circumstances  of  the  two  countries  are  in  such  contrast  that  the  figures  afford 
no  basis  for  argument  as  regards  the  relative  postage  rates :  but  they  illustrate 
very  effectively  a  fundamental  difference  in  the  general  character  of  the  two 
postal  services.  In  Great  Britain  the  number  of  separate  newspaper  mails  is 
extremely  small  proportionately  to  the  number  of  letter  mails.  In  Canada  the 
proportions  are  almost  reversed.  The  postmen  on  delivery  in  Great  Britain  carry 
their  letters  and  packets  in  a  light  canvas  bag,  and  the  number  of  newspapers 
taken  out  by  any  one  postman  is  quite  small  (the  proportion  is  about  one 
newspaper  to  twenty-five  packets  of  other  description).  In  Canada  the  letter- 
carriers  are  weighted  with  newspapers,  carried  either  strapped  in  a  bundle  or 
stuck  in  a  satchel  which  is  full  to  overflowing.  In  effect,  the  general  practical 
arrangements  in  Canada  must  be  made  largely  with  a  view  to  the  handling  of 
vast  quantities  of  newspapers,  while  in  Great  Britain  the  arrangements  are  in 
general  based  on  letter  traffic,  and,  except  at  the  largest  offices,  the  arrangements 
for  newspapers  are  incidental.  Letters,  however,  receive  first  consideration  in 
Canada,  and  the  discrimination  in  their  favour  against  the  newspaper  matter, 
in  point  of  promptness  of  handling,  is  carried  to  much  greater  lengths  than 
in  Great  Britain.  »  Cf.  supra,  p.  57. 

3  "I  trust  that  after  the  reimposition  of  postage  on  newspapers  has  been 
fairly  in  working  order,  we  shall  then  have  the  Post  Office  a  self-sustaining 
department." — Sir  William  Mulock,  Postmaster-GeQer^l,  Pari.  Debates,  CaiuujUk 
{Commons),  Isfc  April  1898, 

11 


146  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

radius  of  ten  miles,  in  order  to  enable  the  country  papers  to 
compete  with  the  papers  of  the  large  towns.  The  country 
papers  are  very  jealous  (and  perhaps  somewhat  fearful)  of 
the  great  city  papers,  although  the  telegraph  has  given  the 
country  papers  an  advantage  in  point  of  time.  This  is  of 
great  value  in  a  country  of  enormous  distances — especially  in 
the  case  of  daily  papers — but  is  yet  not  of  vital  importance  in 
the  case  of  weekly  newspapers,  which  do  not  rely  so  much 
on  late  news.  The  competition  of  the  weekly  papers  of  the 
great  cities  is  severe  ;  and  the  radius  of  competition  even  of 
their  daily  papers  is  considerable.  The  letter-carriers  of  Ottawa 
were  at  that  time  daily  engaged  in  carrying  free  enormous 
quantities  of  newspapers  published  in  Montreal  or  Toronto.^ 
The  rate  fixed  in  1898  was  not  intended  to  be  permanent ; 
and  in  1900,  when  the  revenue  had  become  sufficiently 
buoyant  to  warrant  the  step,  a  Bill  was  introduced  to  reduce 
the  postage  on  newspapers  to  J  of  1  cent  a  pound  for  trans- 
mission in  the  province  or  territory  of  distribution.  The 
general  purpose  of  the  Bill  was  to  reduce  the  rate  for 
limited  distances,  and  the  province  or  territory  was  adopted 
as  the  most  convenient  unit  of  area.  Newspapers  were  being 
posted  literally  by  the  ton,  and  the  department  thought  it 
unreasonable  to  convey  car-loads  of  such  mail  from  ocean  to 
ocean  for  the  same  rate  as  for  any  shorter  distances  within 
a  province.2  xhe  Bill  passed  the  Lower  House,  although  it 
was  severely  criticized  as  introducing  the  vicious  principle  of 
provincial  legislation ;  and  "  a  serious  aggravation  of  the 
tyrannical  injustice "  was  that  a  distinctive  tax  would  be 
placed  on  city  publications,  while  preferential  privileges 
would  be  given  to  country  newspapers.3 

^  Sir  William  Mulock,  Pari.  Debates^  Canada  (Commons),  Ist  April  1898, 
col.  2915. 

=  *'  Hon.  gentlemen  are  entirely  in  error  in  assuming  that  the  length  of  the 
journey  does  not  make  extra  cost.  It  lays  the  foundation  for  extra  claims  by 
railways,  and  there  is  in  the  department  at  present,  on  the  part  of  practically 
all  the  railways  in  Canada,  application  for  increased  payment.  It  is  quite  im- 
possible to  treat  newspaper  postage  in  the  same  way  as  letter  postage." — Sir 
William  Mulock,  ibid.,  11th  July  1900. 

3  "  This  new  Bill  is  little  else  than  a  special  tax  and  handicap  on  certain 
Montreal  newspapers,  which  are  the  only  ones  which  have  the  bulk  of  their 
circulation  outside  of  their  own  province.  We  have  always  favoured  newspaper 
postage,  but  we  are  aot  f9.vourable  to  its  being  collected  ofi  a  few  papers,  and 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  CANADA  147 

The  Postmaster-General  explained  that  with  a  bulk  rate 
it  was  possible  to  make  nice  distinctions  of  rate  in  regard 
to  distance  travelled,  which  would  be  quite  out  of  the 
question  with  a  rate  such  as  that  for  letters  charged  separ- 
ately on  each  individual  item ;  the  charge  for  the  trans- 
portation of  a  letter  for  a  short  distance  would  be  so  small 
that  no  division  of  coin  could  be  found  to  correspond  to  it,  but 
with  matter  mailed  by  the  ton  and  wagon-load,  and  paid  for  by 
the  ton  and  wagon-load,  the  charge  could  well  be  adjusted  for 
distance  :  but  he  admitted  that  he  had  made  no  calculation  as 
to  whether  the  J  cent  a  pound  would  cover  the  cost  of  news- 
papers within  the  bounds  of  each  province.^  The  Bill  was 
rejected  by  the  Senate  on  account  of  the  undesirability  on 
general  political  grounds  of  introducing  any  sort  of  distinctions 
based  on  the  provincial  boundaries. 

The  proposal  was  revived  in  another  form  in  1903.  It 
was  then  proposed  to  reduce  the  postage  to  J  cent  a  pound 
on  newspapers  when  the  distance  of  transmission  did  not 
exceed  300  miles.  The  Postmaster- General  said  definitely  in 
Parliament  that  the  rate  would  not  cover  the  cost,  and, 
further,  that  the  reduction  would  involve  a  loss  of  revenue 
of  from  $50,000  to  $75,000  a  year  on  a  total  revenue  from 
newspapers  of  from  $100,000  to  $125,000.2  The  reduction  was 
carried ;  and  in  1908  the  reduced  rate  of  J  cent  a  pound  was 
extended  to  all  newspapers  passing  within  the  Dominion, 
when  posted  in  bulk.  The  privilege  is  availed  of  by  the 
publishers  of  many  periodicals  which  are  virtually  nothing 
more  than  advertising  media ;  but  this  abuse  has  not  assumed 
serious  proportions,  and  with  the  finances  of  the  department 
in  a  flourishing  state,  it  has  not  been  felt  necessary  to  curtail 
the  privilege,  although  it  involves  great  loss. 3 

thus  making  them  pay  for  the  carriage  of  their  own  mails." — Mr.  Foster,  Pari, 
Debates,  Canada  {Commons),  10th  July  1900. 

Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier  made  some  interesting  observations.  He  said  :  "  A  news- 
paper is  merchandise,  a  letter  is  not.  A  letter  simply  conveys  to  somebody  the 
views  and  thoughts  of  another.  But  newspapers  are  merchandise,  and  the 
publisher  of  a  newspaper  a  manufacturer  of  merchandise  which  he  sells.  Now, 
I  do  not  see  any  reason  why  this  class  of  merchandise  should  not  pay  freight 
for  its  transportation  as  well  as  any  other  class  of  merchandise." — In  Canadian 
House  of  Commons,  10th  July  1900. 

'  Sir  William  Mulock,  ibid.,  11th  July  1900. 

'  Ibid.,  3Fd  ^1117  190?..  ^  Jt^l^.^  ^^tb  J^nuar^  1^05, 


NEWSPAPER  POST  (SECOND-CLASS  MAIL) 
IN   THE    UNITED   STATES   OF  AMERICA 

A  SYSTEM  for  the  distribution  of  newspapers  by  post, 
analogous,  though  not  identical,  with  that  which  grew  up 
in  Great  Britain,  existed  from  an  early  period  in  America. 
There  the  privilege  of  franking  newspapers  was  a  perquisite, 
but  it  was  not  the  perquisite  of  one  officer,  as  in  England. 
All  postmasters  exercised  the  privilege  as  part  of  their  general 
privilege  of  franking  all  their  correspondence,  the  arrangement 
being  part  of  their  emoluments  as  postmasters;  and  post- 
masterships  were  much  sought  after  by  newspaper  publishers, 
who  were  thereby  enabled  to  obtain  free  of  charge  the  advan- 
tage of  the  distribution  of  their  publications  by  what  in  most 
cases  was  the  best,  if  not  the  only,  available  means. 

The  most  notable  example  was  Benjamin  Franklin,  who 
was  for  nearly  forty  years  connected  with  the  Post  Office  in 
North  America,  first  as  Postmaster  of  Philadelphia,  and 
afterwards  as  joint  Postmaster-General  for  the  northern 
part  of  North  America,  and  who,  throughout  this  period, 
was  able  to  circulate  his  publications  by  post  free  of  charge. 
The  Post  Office,  especially  in  regard  to  the  exercise  of  this 
privilege,  is  regarded  by  Americans  as  having  been  an 
important  factor  making  for  a  general  understanding  between 
the  colonies,  and  a  conception  of  the  possibility  of  common 
action.^  As  early  as  1757  the  Crown  authorities  in  the 
colonies  were  looking  with  a  jealous  eye  on  the  unrestricted 
distribution  of  newspapers,  and  were  contemplating  measures 
for  preventing  the  dissemination  of  objectionable  ideas.^ 

'  "  The  growtli  of  the  Post  Office  from  this  humble  beginning  solidified  the 
American  Colonies  and  made  independence  possible." — The  American  Post 
Office,  by  Nathan  B.  Williams.  Keprinted  as  Senate  Document  No.  542  of  the 
61st  Congress,  2nd  Sess.,  p.  5. 

=  E.g.,  "  Mr.  Franklin  has  in  particular  the  great  Advantage  of  circulating 
his  Papers  free,  and  receiving  intelligence,  which  he  may  m^ke  the  best  or 

m 


NEWSPAPER   POST  IN  THE   UNITED  STATES   149 

As  the  friction  between  the  colonies  and  the  Mother 
Country  grew  in  the  years  that  followed,  the  Crown  post- 
masters became  more  and  more  active  in  their  endeavours  to 
hamper  the  distribution  by  post  of  newspapers  which  published 
improper  intelligence,  or  proclaimed  improper  political  doc- 
trines. In  1774  Franklin  was  dismissed,  and  his  dismissal  has 
been  ascribed  to  a  desire  to  impede  the  distribution  of  his 
pubHcations.^ 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Crown  authorities  attempted 
through  the  postmasters  to  prevent  the  distribution  of  colonial 
newspapers,  and  it  was  this  action  which  led  in  the  first 
instance  to  the  suggestion  for  the  establishment  of  an  inde- 
pendent American  Post  Office. ^  The  resolutions  of  the 
Continental  Congress  by  which  the  American  office  was 
estabhshed  in  1775  did  not  provide  for  the  transmission  of 
newspapers.  Nor  does  the  ordinance  of  the  21st  October 
1782  prescribe  any  rates  for  their  transmission ;  but  licenses 
the  postriders  to  carry  them,  presumably  outside  the  mail,  the 
charges  made  by  them  for  the  service  to  be  retained  by 
the  riders  as  a  perquisite. 

The  statute  of  1792  first  fixed  rates  for  newspapers,  as 
follows :  1  cent  a  copy  when  sent  for  distances  less  than 
100  miles,  and  IJ  cents  a  copy  when  sent  for  distances  greater  - 
than  100  miles.  This  charge  was  opposed  in  Congress,  and 
efforts  were  made  to  legalize  free  transmission  by  extending, 
so  as  to  cover  the  transmission  of  newspapers,  the  general 
privilege  of  franking  conferred  by  the  Bill  on  members  of 
Congress,  on  the  ground  that  as  the  Government  of  the 
country  was  a  government  of  opinion,  which  always  depended 
ultimately  on  the  suffrages  of  the  people,  much  greater 
reliance  was  to  be  placed  on  the  confidence  of  the  people 
than    on    any  other   circumstance.     Such   confidence    could 

worst  Use  of  in  the  present  Situation  of  Affairs." — Minutes  of  Pennsylvania 
Council,  21st  March  1757. 

The  Council  recommended  that  the  Postmaster  be  commaaded  to  be  extremely 
cautious  *'  to  prevent  the  publication  of  improper  intelligence,"  and  that  the 
Governor  should  be  authorized  to  exercise  a  censorship  on  the  publication 
of  news. 

*  It  was  in  point  of  fact  due  to  his  action  in  submitting  to  the  Assembly  of 
Pennsylvania  English  ofl&cial  letters  addressed  from  the  Governor  of  the  colony 
which  had  come  into  his  hands. 

'  See  sjipra,  pp.  C4-5. 


150  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

only  result  from  the  fullest  information,  which  the  people  had 
a  right  to  expect,  not  only  as  regards  the  actions  of  the 
Government  but  as  regards  the  principles  on  which  they 
were  grounded. ^ 

Some  members  were  disposed  to  approach  the  question  from 
the  j&nancial  side,  and  contended  that  the  rates  proposed 
were  not  sufficient  to  discharge  the  expense  of  the  service. 
The  middle  way  between  economic  rates  and  free  transmission 
was  finally  adopted. 

An  Act  of  1794  amended  the  rates  on  newspapers  and 
V  provided  a  further  special  rate  for  magazines  and  pamphlets. 
Newspapers  might  now  pass  from  any  one  place  to  any  other 
within  the  same  State  for  1  cent ;  magazines  and  pamphlets 
at  1  cent  a  sheet  for  distances  not  exceeding  50  miles ;  1 J  cents 
a  sheet  for  distances  over  50  miles  and  not  exceeding  100  miles ; 
and  2  cents  a  sheet  for  any  greater  distance.  A  suggestion 
was  made  in  Congress  to  reduce  the  newspaper  rate  to  half  a 
cent  for  distances  not  exceeding  100  miles,  and  1  cent  for 
any  greater  distance;  on  the  ground  that  it  was  desirable  to 
encourage  the  distribution  of  newspapers  from  the  seat  of 
Government  and  the  large  towns,  since  such  papers  must 
contain  more  complete  information  than  the  country  publica- 
tions, which  could  only  publish  selections  from  the  metropohtan 
papers.  There  was,  however,  a  feeling  that  country  papers 
performed  a  useful  function  and  should  be  encouraged. 

The  rates  on  magazines  were  altered  in  1825  to  IJ  cents  a 
sheet  for  any  distance  not  exceeding  100  miles  and  2J  cents 
for  any  greater  distance,  when  published  periodically  and  sent 
to  subscribers ;  and  4  cents  on  each  sheet  for  distances  under 
100  miles,  and  6  cents  a  sheet  for  any  greater  distance,  when 
not  published  periodically.     In   1845 'the  free  privilege   for 

'  "  To  take  it  (the  franking  privilege)  away  would  be  levelling  a  deadly  stroke 
at  the  liberty  of  the  Press ;  the  information  conveyed  by  franks  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  vital  juices,  and  the  channels  of  the  Post  Office  as  the  veins  ;  and 
if  these  are  stopped,  the  body  must  be  destroyed ;  it  is  treading  on  dangerous 
ground  to  take  any  measures  that  may  stop  the  channels  of  public  information. 
.  ,  .  It  is  the  duty  of  the  members  to  dispense  the  newspapers  among  those 
people  who  cannot,  perhaps,  otherwise  obtain  them,  under  the  protection  of 
franks.  .  .  .  The  establishment  of  the  Post  Office  is  agreed  to  be  for  no  other 
purpose  than  the  conveyance  of  information  into  every  part  of  the  Union." — 
Debates  and  Proceedings  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  IGth  December 
1791  (pub.  Washington,  1849). 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES   151 

newspapers  was  first  introduced,  those  of  not  more  than 
1,900  square  inches  in  size,  posted  by  the  editors  or  pubHshers, 
being  allowed  to  pass  free  within  30  miles  of  the  place  of 
publication.  Smaller  newspapers,  if  conveyed  more  than  30 
miles,  were  charged  the  rates  fixed  by  the  Act  of  1794  (which 
had  been  re-enacted  by  a  statute  of  1825) ;  and  newspapers  o| 
greater  size  were  charged  a  uniform  rate  of  2  cents  without 
regard  to  distance.  Pamphlets,  magazines,  periodicals,  and 
all  printed  or  other  matter,  were  to  be  charged  by  weight : 
2J  cents  for  the  first  ounce,  and  1  cent  for  each  additional 
ounce  or  fraction  of  an  ounce,  without  regard  to  distance. 

The  free  privilege  for  local  newspapers  was  withdrawn  in 
1847,  except  as  regards  copies  exchanged  between  publishers. 
The  latter  privilege  was  continued  from  a  desire  to  assist  the 
country  publisher,  who  seems  always  to  have  had  friends  in 
Congress,  and  who  was  in  the  habit  of  obtaining  much  of  the 
information  published  in  his  papers  from  the  great  Atlantic 
cities,  and  other  large  towns  which  were  centres  of  political 
or  other  interests.  The  free  privilege  was  not  long  withheld.' 
An  Act  of  1851  again  extended  it  to  all  weekly  newspapers 
sent  from  the  office  of  publication  to  bona  fide  subscribers 
within  the  county  where  published,  provided  the  newspaper 
did  not  exceed  3  ounces  in  weight ;  with  a  scale  of  postages 
graduated  according  to  distance  for  papers  sent  out  of  the 
county  where  published.  A  graduated  scale  for  pamphlets, 
periodicals,  magazines,  and  all  other  printed  matter,  was  also 
established  by  this  Act.  In  the  following  year  a  rate  of  1  cent 
was  fixed  for  each  newspaper,  periodical,  unsealed  circular,  or 
other  article  of  printed  n^atter,  not  exceeding  3  ounces  in 
weight,  sent  to  any  part  of  the 
additional  ounce  or  fraction  thereof, 


United  States ;  and  for  every    . 
iof,  1  cent  additional.     In  1861 


»  "The  poisonous  sentiments  of  the  cities,  concentrated  in  their  papers,  with 
all  the  aggravation  of  such  a  moral  and  political  cesspool,  will  invade  the 
simple,  pure,  conservative  atmosphere  of  the  country,  and  meeting  with  no 
antidote  in  a  rural  Press,  will  contaminate  and  ultimately  destroy  that  purity 
of  sentiment  and  of  purpose  which  is  the  only  true  conservatism.  Fourierisra, 
agrarianism,  socialism,  and  every  other  ism,  political,  moral,  and  religious,  grow 
in  that  rank  and  festering  soil.  .  .  .  Relieve  them  (the  country  papers)  from 
the  burden  of  postage  and  they  can  successfully  compete  with  the  city  publishers. 
Reduce  the  rate  of  postage  on  newspapers  and  pamphlets,  and  you  diffuse  light 
and  knowledge  through  the  land." — Mr.  Venables  in  House  of  Representatives, 
18th  December  1850  {Congressional  Globe). 


152  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

the  rate  of  postage  on  any  newspaper,  periodical,  unsealed 
circular,  or  other  article  of  printed  matter,  not  exceeding 
3  ounces  in  weight,  conveyed  over  the  overland  route  between 
any  State  or  Territory  east  of  the  Kocky  Mountains  and  any 
State  or  Territory  on  the  Pacific,  was  made  1  cent.  The  letter 
rate  between  the  same  areas  was  10  cents  per  J  ounce. 

A  statute  of  1863  classified  mail  matter,  defining  three 
groups.  Newspapers,  magazines,  and  pamphlets  fell  into  the 
second  group,  which  comprised  all  printed  matter  issued  at 
stated  intervals,  but  different  rates  were  fixed  for  different 
sections  of  such  matter.  On  printed  matter  issued  weekly 
and  sent  to  regular  subscribers,  the  rate  was  5  cents  a  quarter 
for  publications  not  exceeding  4  ounces  in  weight,  with  an 
additional  rate  for  every  additional  4  ounces  or  fraction  thereof. 
If  issued  seven  times  a  week,  the  rate  was  35  cents  a  quarter 
for  every  4  ounces.  If  issued  less  frequently  than  weekly,  the 
charge  was  1  cent  a  copy  not  exceeding  4  ounces  in  weight, 
and  small  newspapers  might  be  sent  in  packages  and  charged 
the  same  rates  by  weight.  On  transient  ^  second-class  matter, 
and  miscellaneous  matter  of  the  third  class — the  third  class 
included  all  other  printed  matter — the  rate  was  fixed  at  2  cents 
for  each  4  ounces  or  fraction  thereof. 

The  rates  of  1863  were  shghtly  modified  in  1872,  and  a 
lo'cal  delivery  rate  of  1  cent  was  established  for  newspapers. 
Two  years  later  a  new  method  of  charging  postage  on  news- 
papers and  periodicals  posted  by  publishers  or  newsagents  was 
introduced.  Instead  of  being  charged  on  each  individual  packet, 
postage  was  to  be  charged  on  the  gross  weight  of  the  news- 
papers posted  by  a  publisher,  irrespective  of  the  number  of 
separate  packets  to  be  handled.  The  rate  was  2  cents  a 
pound  on  newspapers  and  periodicals  published  weekly,  and 
3  cents  on  those  issued  less  frequently  than  once  a  week. 
These  rates  only  applied  to  such  newspapers  and  periodicals 
as  were  mailed  from  a  known  office  of  publication,  or  news 
agency,  to  regular  subscribers  or  newsagents,  and  did  not 
apply  to  those  for  local  delivery.  By  a  statute  of  1876- 
publications  designed  primarily  for  advertising  purposes,  or 
for  circulation  free,  or   at   nominal   rates,   were  made  third- 

*  I.e.  odd  packets  posted  by  members  of    the  public,  as  aga'nst  the  regular 
bulk  postings  of  publishers. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES   153 

class  matter,  and  thus  excluded  from  the  privilege.  In  1879 
the  present  rate  of  1  cent  a  pound  (bulk  rate)  and  a  revised 
classification  were  established.  Matter  was  admitted  to  the 
second  class  on  the  following  conditions : — 

First. — It  must  regularly  be  issued  at  stated  intervals  as  frequently  as  four 
times  a  year,  must  bear  a  date  of  issue,  and  must  be  numbered  consecutively. 

Second. — It  must  be  issued  from  a  known  office  of  publication. 

Thi/rd. — It  must  be  formed  of  printed  paper  sheets,  without  board,  cloth, 
leather,  or  other  substantial  binding,  such  as  distinguish  printed  books  for 
preservation  from  periodical  publications. 

Fourth. — It  must  be  originated  and  published  for  the  dissemination  of  in- 
formation of  a  public  character,  or  devoted  to  literature,  the  sciences,  arts, 
or  some  special  industry,  and  having  a  legitimate  list  of  subscribers ;  provided, 
however,  that  nothing  herein  contained  shall  be  so  construed  as  to  admit  to 
the  second-class  rate  regular  publications  designed  primarily  for  advertising 
purposes,  or  for  free  circulation,  or  for  circulation  at  nominal  rates. 

In  1894  the  privilege  was  extended  so  as  to  include  under 
certain  conditions  the  periodical  publications  of  benevolent  or 
fraternal  societies ;  and  again  in  1900,  to  include  the  periodical 
publications  issued  by  State  departments  of  agriculture. 

It  was  provided  by  the  statute  of  1879  that  a  supplement 
may  be  enclosed  with  a  second-class  publication,  without  sub- 
jecting it  to  extra  postage,  provided  that  it  is  germane  to  the 
pubHcation  which  it  supplements,  that  is  to  say,  is  matter 
supplied  in  order  to  complete  that  to  which  it  is  added  or 
supplemented,  but  omitted  from  the  regular  issue  for  want  of 
space  or  time,  or  for  greater  convenience.  It  must,  however, 
in  every  case  be  issued  with  the  publication. 

Since  the  establishment  of  these  conditions  and  rates,  there 
has  been  a  steady  and  growing  increase  in  the  amount  of 
second-class  matter  sent  through  the  mails.  In  1879,  under 
the  old  rates,  the  total  weight  sent  at  the  pound  rate  was 
51,125,600  pounds.  In  the  following  year  the  total  weight 
was  61,822,629  pounds ;  and  by  1910  the  total  had  increased 
to  817,772,900  pounds,  that  figure  representing  an  increase  of 
no  less  than  94,539,718  pounds  on  the  total  for  1909. 

During  the  whole  of  this  period  the  accounts  of  the  Post 
Office  in  the  United  States  had  in  two  years  only  (in  1882  and 
1883)  shown  a  surplus  of  revenue  over  expenditure.  In  view 
of  the  vast  quantity  of  matter  sent  in  the  mails  at  very  low 
rates,  the  question  naturally  suggested  itself  whether,  seeing 


154  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

that  it  was  necessary  year  by  year  to  call  on  the  public 
treasury  for  funds  to  meet  the  deficiency  in  the  Post  Office 
accounts,  it  would  not  be  practicable,  and  equitable,  to  obtain 
an  increased  revenue  from  this  class  of  traffic.  The  fact  that 
considerable  abuses  of  the  second-class  mail  privilege  had 
grown  up  made  consideration  of  the  question  the  more 
necessary. 

Periodicals  obtained  so  great  a  privilege  as  compared  with 
ordinary  books,  that  publishers  sought  devious  ways  to  obtain 
the  advantage  of  the  pound  rate.  Books  termed  a  "  library  " 
were  issued  periodically,  with  a  frequency  sufficient  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  Act,  numbered  in  series,  and  devoted 
to  literature  or  science;  were  issued  from  a  known  office  of 
publication,  and  with  a  list  of  subscribers.  Complying  thus 
with  all  the  requirements  of  the  Act,  there  seemed  no  ground 
on  which  these  publications  could  be  refused  admission  to  the 
second-class  privilege,  and  they  were  accordingly  entered.  The 
practice  grew,  and  a  multitude  of  libraries,  comprising  books 
on  every  conceivable  subject,  were  distributed  through  the 
mails  as  second-class  matter.  The  Act  permitted  the  posting 
of  sample  copies,  and  as  no  limit  to  the  number  of  such  copies 
was  fixed,  the  mails  were  burdened  with  vast  quantities  of 
sample  copies  of  publications  which,  while  complying  with  the 
letter  of  the  statute,  as  did  the  "libraries,"  were  in  reality 
mere  advertising  media.  The  subscription  list  was  extremely 
small  in  comparison  with  the  number  of  sample  copies  sent 
out,  and  in  many  cases  the  subscriptions  had  been  obtained  by 
the  offer  of  premiums  at  least  equal  in  value  to  the  subscrip- 
tions. Another  abuse  appeared.  Under  the  law,  copies  of 
newspapers  and  periodicals  mailed  under  the  second-class 
privilege  which  were  found  to  be  undeliverable  were,  when 
returned  to  the  publisher,  liable  to  postage  at  the  rate  of 
1  cent  for  each  4  ounces ;  but  newsagents  had  the  right  to 
send  second-class  mail  to  one  another,  and  in  order  to  avoid 
the  higher  rate  on  returned  copies,  the  publishers  arranged  a 
scheme  by  which  the  copies  were  returned  by  one  newsagent 
to  another  newsagent  whose  office  was  near  by  the  publisher's 
office.  These  abuses  assumed  such  proportions  that  in  1889 
the  Postmaster-General,  Mr.  Wanamaker,  brought  them  to 
the  notice  of  Congress  and  asked  a  remedy.     Nothing  was 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  THE   UNITED  STATES   155 

done,  however.  In  1892  Mr.  Wanamaker  again  complained 
of  the  saAie  gross  abuses,  and  especially  of  the  book  abuse, 
which  had  then  become,  he  said,  ''  a  practice  of  so  long 
standing  that  it  has  crystaUized  into  law,  allowing  to  paper- 
covered  books  which  are  simply  numbered,  and  dated,  and 
designated  as  periodicals,  though  in  reality  not  so,  the  privi- 
leges of  genuine  periodicals."  ^  He  also  attacked  with  vigour 
the  sample-copy  abuse.^    *"-^ 

Several  Postmasters-General  caused  estimates  to  be  made 
of  the  actual  cost  to  the  Post  Office  of  the  handling  and  trans- 
mission of  the  second-class  mail.  An  estimate  made  in  1894 
indicated  the  cost  of  transportation  for  all  mail  matter  as 
8  cents  a  pound,  and  on  that  basis  second-class  matter  at 
that  time  involved  a  loss  of  nearly  17  million  dollars  for  trans- 
portation alone.  In  1897  the  total  loss  on  account  of  the 
second-class  mail  was  estimated  at  26  million  dollars.  A 
further  estimate  made  in  1901  indicated  that  the  cost  of 
transportation  of  second-class  matter  was  at  least  5  cents 
a  pound,  and  that  the  cost  of  handhng  was  a  further  2  cents, 
giving  a  total  cost  of  7  cents  a  pound  on  matter  for  which 
postage  at  the  rate  of  only  1  cent  a  pound  was  paid.3 

In  1905  Postmaster-General  Cortelyou  submitted  an  esti- 
mate which  put  the  loss  on  second-class  matter  at  some 
$27,000,000  a  year;  and  he  recommended  that  the  whole 
question  should  be  considered  by  Congress,  and  a  law  enacted 


*  Report  of  Postmaster-Oeneral,  1892,  p.  68. 

'  ♦'  The  law  cannot  be  so  construed  as  to  permit  such  an  abuse — an  abuse  that, 
while  operating  to  load  down  the  mails  with  immense  masses  of  stuff  of  insuffi- 
cient value  to  command  cash-paying  subscribei's  to  any  extent,  would  be  a  wrong 
to  every  business  institution  which  issues  its  advertising  circulars  and  other 
matter  in  an  undisguised  manner  and  therefore  pays  the  lawful  rate  of  postage 
on  them."— Ibid.,  p.  72. 

3  "The  most  urgent  need  of  the  postal  service  is  the  rectification  of  the 
enormous  wrongs  which  have  grown  up  in  the  perversion  and  abuse  of  the 
privilege  accorded  by  law  to  second-class  matter.  This  reform  is  paramount  to 
all  others.  .  .  .  For  this  costly  abuse,  which  drags  on  the  Department  and  weighs 
down  the  service,  trammels  its  power  and  means  of  effective  advancement  in  every 
direction."— Ibid.,  1899,  pp.  4  and  5. 

In  1900  it  was  stated  that  the  whole  cost  of  the  extension  of  the  rural  free 
delivery  service  could  be  met  from  the  saving  which  would  result  from  the 
elimination  of  the  second-class  mail  abuses. — Ibid.,  1900,  p.  13. 

lu  1901  it  was  described  as  '•  the  one  great  overshadowing  evil  of  the  service, 
because  it  underlies  and  overtops  all  other  reform  and  advance." — Ibid.,  1901,  p.  4. 


156  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

which  should  simplify  the  tests   by  which  mail  matter  was 
classified. 

These  vigorous  and  oft-repeated  recommendations  of  suc- 
cessive Postmasters-General,  though  not  resulting  in  legisla- 
tion, at  length  achieved  a  result  in  the  appointment  in  1906 
of  a  joint  Commission  of  Congress  on  second-class  mail  matter. 
The  Commission  held  meetings  in  New  York,  and  took  evidence 
from  the  Post  Office  department  and  from  representatives  of 
each  national  organization  of  publishers  in  the  United  States. 
Their  report,  presented  in  January  1907,  was  in  no  sense 
conclusive.  Their  chief  difficulties  had  arisen  from  the  impos- 
sibility of  obtaining  from  the  department  any  statistics  as  to 
the  cost  of  mail  matter  class  by  class — a  difficulty  which  is 
inherent  in  Post  Offices  conducted  on  the  modern  system  of 
accounting  for  postage  of  all  classes  by  postage  labels  of  the 
same  type,  and  handling  all  classes  of  matter  promiscuously ; 
and  their  chief  recommendations  were  that  the  department 
should  take  fresh  statistics  with  regard  to  all  mail  matter,^  and 
make  an  analysis  of  operating  expenses  with  a  view  to  appor- 
tionment between  the  various  classes  of  mail  matter.  The 
Commissipn  was  so  dissatisfied  with  the  department's  position 
with  regard  to  the  ascertainment  of  a  proper  division  of  the 
total  expenses,  that  they  recommended  the  appointment  of  a 
further  Commission  to  examine  thoroughly  '*  the  whole 
business  system  "  of  the  Post  Office,  and  particularly  to  deter- 
mine, if  possible,  firstly,  the  actual  cost  of  all  the  postal 
services;  secondly,  the  proper  apportionment  of  that  cost 
between  the  various  classes  of  mail  matter ;  and  thirdly,  what 
modifications  of  the  system  of  bookkeeping  and  accounting 
were  desirable.^ 

By  a  statute  of  the  2nd  March  1907,  Congress  authorized 
the  appointment  of  a  joint  Commission  "  to  make  an  inves- 
tigation into  the  business  system  of  the  Post  Office  and  postal 
service."  The  same  gentlemen  who  had  composed  the  Com- 
mission of  1906  were  appointed  to  the  new  Commission,  but 
its  labours  led  to  no  practical  result. 

^  There  had  been,  under  an  Act  of  26th  June  1906,  a  weighing  of  second-class 
matter  from  1st  July  to  31st  December  1906. 

=  Report  of  Postal  Commission  on  Second-class  Mail  Matter,  1907.  Known  as 
the  Penrose-Overstrcet  Commission,  from  the  names  of  two  of  its  members. 


NEWSPAPER   POST   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES   157 

The  other  recommendation  of  the  Penrose-Overstreet  Com- 
mission, viz.  that  further  statistics  should  be  obtained  with 
regard  to  second-class  matter,  was  also  adopted  by  Congress, 
and  the  statute  authorizing  the  Commission  on  business 
methods  also  authorized  the  taking  of  statistics  of  the  weight, 
number  of  pieces,  and  average  haul  of  all  classes  of  mail  matter, 
separately,  and  the  average  load  of  all  cars  by  which  it  was 
forwarded  by  railway.'  With  the  statistics  so  obtained  as  a 
basis,2  the  department  undertook  the  task,  which,  as  stated  by 
the  Commission  of  1906,  had  previously  been  impossible  of 
performance,  of  calculating  the  actual  working  cost  assignable 
respectively  to  the  various  classes  of  mail  matter.  A  Com- 
mittee, which  was  appointed  in  October  1908,  and  reported 
in  November  1909,  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  the  cost 
of  dealing  with  second-class  mail  matter  was  about  9  cents 
a  pound.  The  whole  subject  was  before  the  Committee  on 
the  Post  Office  and  Post  Roads  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
in  January  and  February  1910.  Many  representatives  of 
the  publishing  interest  attended  and  gave  evidence,  and  the 

*  The  actual  statistics  to  be  obtained  were  defined  thus : — 

' '  The  Postmaster-General  shall  cause  a  record  to  be  kept  from  July  first  to 
December  thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred  and  seven,  inclusive,  of  the  weight  in 
pounds,  respectively,  of  first-class,  second-class,  free,  paid-at-tho-pound-rate,  and 
transient,  third-class,  and  fourth-class  matter  and  all  franked  and  penalty 
matter  and  the  equipment  carried  in  connection  therewith. 

♦•  For  thirty  days  during  such  period  ho  shall  require  a  record  to  be  kept  of  the 
weight  of  each  of  the  classes  above  specified  despatched  from  such  post-offices  as 
he  shall  determine  to  be  representative  for  the  purpose  and  have  computed 
thereon,  in  the  most  practicable  way,  the  average  haul  of  the  mail  of  the  different 
classes  and  sub-classes  as  hereinbefore  set  out.  For  seven  days  during  such 
period  he  shall  cause  a  record  to  be  kept  of  the  revenue  received  from  each  of  the 
classes  and  sub-classes  of  mail  matter  hereinbefore  specified  and  a  count  of  the 
number  of  pieces  of  each  class  and  sub-class,  showing  also  for  the  first  class 
the  number  of  letters,  postal  cards,  and  other  matter  separately,  and  for  thirty 
consecutive  days  during  such  period  he  shall  cause  a  record  to  be  kept  for  the 
purpose  of  ascertaining  the  average  load  of  railway  post-office  cars  other  than 
storage  cars,  the  average  load  of  storage  cars,  and  the  average  load  in  com- 
partment cars. 

'•  Such  record  shall  be  reported  to  Congress  by  May  first,  nineteen  hundred 
and  eight,  and  the  sum  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  or  so  much  thereof 
as  may  be  necessary,  is  hereby  appropriated,  out  of  any  money  in  the  Treasury 
not  otherwise  appropriated,  to  cover  the  expense  of  such  weighing  and  counting 
and  the  recording  and  compilation  of  the  information  so  acquired,  and  the  rent 
of  necessary  rooms  in  the  city  of  Washington,  and  the  same  shall  be  immediately 
available."— Statute  of  2nd  March  1907. 

^  Special  Weighing  of  tJie  Mails,  1907.    Document  910,  60th  Congress. 


158  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

department's  calculations  were  subjected  to  examination  and 
criticism.  I 

Congress  and  the  Executive  were  still,  however,  unable  to 
arrive  at  a  satisfactory  conclusion  on  the  question,  and  on  the 
4th  March  1911  a  joint  resolution  of  Congress  authorized  the 
appointment  of   a   further   Commission  on  second-class   mail 
matter,  this  time  not  a  Congressional  Commission.     A  judge, 
the  president  of  a  university,  and  a  business  gentleman  were 
appointed   to   the   Commission,   which  held  sessions  in  New 
York  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year,  and  took  evidence  from  the 
Post  Office  department  and  representatives  of  the  publishing 
interests.     They  found  that  the  data  available  were  insufficient 
to  enable  them  to  determine  the  total  cost  to  the  Post  Office  of 
the  services  performed  in  respect  of  second-class  mail  matter ; 
but  they  were  able  to  estimate  the  cost  in  regard  to  certain 
items  of  the  expenses  of  the  Post  Office.      The  cost  under 
those  headings,  which  must,  of  course,  be  less  than  the  total 
cost,  they  found  as  5J  cents  a  pound  for  ordinary  paid-at-the- 
pound-rate  matter  and  5  cents  a  pound  for  free  and  transient 
matter.2     That  part  of  the  general  expenses  of  the  service 
which  the   Commission  were  unable  to  assign  satisfactorily 
between  the  various  classes  of  mail  matter  was  estimated  by 
the  Post  Office  department  to  amount  to  over  2  cents  a  pound 
for  second-class  mail  matter.3     On  this  basis,  of  course,  a  heavy 
increase  in  the  rate  of  postage  would  be  warranted;  but  in 
view  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  effect  of  the  competition  of  the 
express  companies  which  would  result  from  a  large  increase  in 
the  rate  of  postage,  of  the  fact  that  the  publishers'  business 
established  in  faith  of  constancy  of  the  postage  would  seriously 
suffer  from  such  a  sudden  increase,  and  of  the  well-known 
policy  of  encouraging  distribution  of  educational  literature,4 
the  Commission  hesitated  to  recommend  any  large  increase, 
and  contented  themselves  with  recommending  that  the  rate  be 
raised  from  1  to  2  cents  a  pound. 

*  Hearings  before  Committee  on  Post  Office  and  Post  Roads  {House  of  Bepre- 
sentatives),  January-February  1910. 

'  Report  of  Commission  on  Second-class  Mail  Matter.  Appendix  to  Message  of 
President  of  22nd  February  1912,  pp.  137-8.  3  Ibid.,  p.  129. 

4  "  The  historic  policy  of  encouraging  by  low  postal  rates  the  dissemination 
of  current  intelligence,  and  the  extent  to  which  it  has  proved  suQcessful,  should 
jjot  be  overlooked." — Ibid.,  p.  1^3. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  THE   UNITED  STATES    159 

f  ^  Given  that  the  actual  cost  of  the  handhng  and  transporting 
of  second-class  mail  matter  is  on  the  average  9  cents  a  pound 
(regarding  which  the  department  is  quite  satisfied)  and  a  rate 
of  postage  for  such  matter  of  1  cent  a  pound,  the  department 
has,  on  the  face  of  things,  a  strong  case  ;  and  it  is  not  necessary 
to  ascribe  other  motives  in  order  fully  to  explain  and  justify 
the  course  it  has  adopted.  But  the  publishers  felt  thaty  thejT) 
were  not  favourably  regarded  by  the  Eepublican  Adminis- 
tration. ,They;claim,  and  the  claim  is  admitted  in  influential 
quarters  immune  from  pressure  from  them,  that  they^  are 
largely  responsible  for  the  establishment  of  the  insurgent 
wing  of  the  Eepublican  party,  whose  action  against  the  late 
Administration  proved  so  disastrous  to  the  fortunes  of  the 
party." ,  In  the  course  of  these  political  activities  ,theyi  have 
made  enemies ;  and(J;heyxonclude  that  in  the  Eepublican  party, 
many  of  whose  members  have  been  disgraced,  if  not  indeed 
driven  from  public  life,  there  has  arisen  a  strong  feeling  y 
against  the  publishers.  The  activity  of  the  department  against 
the  second-class  rate  is  alleged  to  have  begun  after  the  pubH- 
cation  of  articles  in  the  magazines  exposing  the  corruption  in  the 
cities,  and  incidentally  reflecting  on  members  of  the  Eepublican 
party.  Moreover,  the  department's  most  drastic  recommenda- 
tions have  been  directed  not  against  second-class  matter  as  a 
whole,  but  against  the  periodicals ;  and  they  have  been  made 
under  the  guise  of  preventing,  as  contrary  to  the  intent  of 
the  statute,  the  dissemination  at  the  second-class  rate  of  vast 
quantities  of  advertising  matter.  Thus,  the  department  has 
recommended  that  that  portion  of  periodicals  which  consisted 
solely  of  advertising  matter  should  be  charged  at  a  higher 
rate  than  the  rest  of  the  publication  (which  would  be  allowed 
the  second-class  rate),  while  nothing  at  all  was  proposed  as 
regards  ordinary  newspapers,  a  discrimination  which  cut  the 
publishers  of  the  periodicals  deeply. 

The  representations  of  the  Post  Office  department,  ^tending 
over  some  twenty  years,  and  'of  most  decisive  and  emphatic 
character,  have  not  yet  succeeded'' in  obtaining  legislation  for 
the  reform  of  theCi^etetid-class  mail  scheme ;  but  some  few 
years  back'the  department  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  the 
authority  of  the  existing  law  was  sufficient  to  enable  the  more 
flagrant  abuses  to  be  checked,  if  not  eliminated.     A  series 


160  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

of  rulings  were  thereupon  promulgated,  and  by  this  means 
some  of  the  worst  abuses  have  been  removed,  such  as,  for 
example,  the  transmission  as  second-class  matter  of  "  libraries," 
issued  as  periodicals.  These  rulings  were  resented  by  the 
publishing  interests,  with  whom  it  was  a  source  of  great 
complaint  that  the  interpretation  of  the  statute  defining 
second-class  mail  matter  was  left  to  arbitrary  decision  by 
officials  of  the  department. ^  The  intense  feeling  in  America 
against  any  sort  of  bureaucracy,  and  especially  against  a 
bureaucracy  of  the  central  Government,  leads  to  a  natural 
jealousy  of  the  exercise  of  this  power,  and  as  a  remedy  the 
suggestion  was  advanced  that  provision  should  be  made,  first, 
for  questions  of  the  interpretation  of  the  Act  to  be  decided 
in  the  first  instance  by  a  permanent  Commission  located  at 
Washington,  on  which  the  publishers  should  be  represented  ; 
and  secondly,  that  there  should  be  an  appeal  from  the  decisions 
of  this  Commission  to  the  ordinary  courts  of  justice. 

The  department  admits  that  its  position  with  regard  to  the 
interpretation  of  the  statutes  is  unsatisfactory.  Under  the 
existing  system,  all  manner  of  questions  are  asked  regarding 
the  private  business  of  the  publisher,  and  the  decisions  from 
Washington  are  often  delayed.^  But  as  against  the  contention 
of  the  department,  which  was  for  an  amendment  of  the  law,  the 
publishers  contended  that  the  law,  while  no  doubt  not  alto- 
gether perfect,  was  in  the  main  sound  and  just,  and  the  rate 
of  postage  of  1  cent  a  pound  was  as  great  a  boon  as  was  ever 
conferred  by  Congress.  They  denied  that  it  was  in  any  sense 
a  subsidy.3     They  also  denied  the  existence  of  a  deficiency, 

*  "  If  the  Republic  of  our  patriotic  love  is  to  live  and  our  people  preserve  their 
liberties,  the  sheet-anchor  of  their  salvation  is  a  free,  independent,  untrammelled 
and  fearless  Press,  and  we  believe  that  to  maintain  this  happy  condition  pub- 
lishers must  not  be  subjected  to  any  arbitrary  authority  that  claims  and  exercises 
the  power  to  destroy  by  closing  the  mails  against  them  without  the  right  to 
appeal  to  the  courts,  a  right  that  is  held  sacred  by  every  citizen,  however 
humble,  whenever  and  wherever  his  opportunity  to  earn  a  livelihood  in  an 
honourable  business  is  called  in  question  or  denied  him." — Evidence  of  Mr. 
Wilmer  Atkinson  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Report  of  Commission  on  Second-class 
Mail  Matter,  1906,  p.  412. 

2  "Publishers  are  now  sometimes  kept  on  the  anxious  seat  for  months 
awaiting  decisions  which  may  wreck  their  businesses." — Evidence  of  Mr.  Madden, 
Third  Assistant  Postmaster-General. — Ibid.,  p.  89. 

3  "There  is  no  '  subsidy'  at  all,  as  claimed  by  the  foolish,  but  simply  that  the 
lawmakers  of  the  greatest  Governmeiit  ou  earth  have  been  wis§  enough  to  see  tp 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  THE   UNITED  STATES  161 

and  contended  that  so  far  from  its  being  true  that  the  Post 
Office  business  involved  a  loss,  there  was  each  year  a  profit  of 
millions  of  dollars.  This  result  they  arrived  at  by  estimating 
the  cost  to  the  Post  Office  of  the  distribution  of  Government 
free  matter,  and  the  cost  of  the  rural  free  delivery,  which  they 
added  together,  setting  the  total  against  the  deficit  shown  in 
the  published  accounts  of  the  department.  By  this  means  a 
balance  of  profit  was  obtained  for  each  year.  The  estimated 
postage  payable  at  the  usual  rates  in  respect  of  the  free  matter 
was  of  course  an  item  legitimately  to  be  added  to  gross 
revenue ;  but  it  was  doubtful  whether  the  cost  of  the  rural 
delivery  service  could  be  deducted  from  gross  expenses,  as 
the  publishers  insisted,  on  the  ground  that  the  service  was 
"  extraordinary." 

The  publishers  made  a  further  allegation.  At  that  time 
the  express  companies  cut  even  the  very  low  existing  cent- 
a-pound  rate  on  second-class  mail  matter  for  short  distances, 
and  if  that  rate  were  raised  the  range  of  their  competition 
would  be  extended.  With  a  2-cent  rate  a  much  greater  pro- 
portion of  the  traffic  would  inevitably  fall  to  them.  This 
would,  of  course,  be  very  advantageous  to  the  companies,  to 
whom,  as  to  railways,  any  increase  in  the  volume  of  traffic 
handled  would  be  welcome.  These  express  companies  had  for 
many  years  been  faithful  supporters  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  behind  the  suggestion  to  increase  second-class  rates  the 
publishers  were  convinced  there  was  a  desire  on  the  part  of 
the  leaders  of  the  party  to  reward  their  faithful  allies.^ 

But  perhaps  the  chief  contentions  of  the  publishers,  which 
the  Post  Office  was  bound  to  some  extent  to  admit,  and  would 
in  any  case  find  it  difficult  to  meet,  were  the  claim  that  news- 
papers create  a  vast  quantity  of  first-class  mail ;  and  the  claim 
that  since  the  payment  made  to   the  railway  companies  in 

it  that  the  people  shall  have  periodical  literature  within  easy  reach,  and  with  as 
little  expense  as  possible." — Evidence  of  Wilmer  Atkinson,  ibid.,  p.  441. 

'  "Who  knows  but  that  the  onerous  restrictions  of  the  department  have  some 
connection  with  the  eSorts  of  the  express  companies  to  have  second-class  mail 
rates  increased,  and  by  both  means  drive  the  publishers  of  the  country  to  em- 
ploying the  express  companies  to  carry  their  publications  ?  Such  would  not  be 
beyond  the  craftiness  of  these  skilled  farmers  in  the  field  of  legislation." — 
Nathan  B.  Williams,  Tlie  American  Post  Office,  1910 ;  Document  642,  Gist  Con- 
gress,  2nd  Session,  p.  40. 

12 


162  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

respect  of  the  transportation  of  the  mail  is  based  on  a  sliding 
scale,  decreasing  as  the  volume  of  traffic  increases,  the  weight 
of  second-class  matter  brings  down  appreciably  the  rate  actually 
to  be  paid. 

Some  who  appeared  before  the  Commission  of  1911  were 
inclined  to  go  beyond  these  general  contentions  as  to  the 
relative  claims  of  second-class  matter,  and  to  assail  the  whole 
administration  of  the  department  from  the  economic  stand- 
point; challenging  especially  the  relations  with  the  railway 
companies,  and  arguing  that  the  payment  made  for  the  con- 
veyance of  mails  was  not  equitable  when  compared  with  the 
charges  made  by  the  companies  for  similar  services  performed 
for  the  express  companies. 

Notwithstanding  these  contentions,  there  can  be  no  ques- 
tion that  the  transmission  of  the  second-class  mail  at  the 
present  rates  involves  the  department  in  heavy  loss ;  and  that 
Congress,  not  unaware  of  this,  attaches  importance  to  the 
advantages  which  a  low  rate  for  such  matter  confers.  The 
Commission  were  satisfied  on  both  points.  It  is,  however, 
doubted  by  many  whether  the  effect  of  this  privilege  has  been 
altogether  salutary  from  the  educational  point  of  view.  It  has 
encouraged  to  an  almost  incredible  extent  the  publication  of 
periodical  magazines,  and  many  of  these  magazines  are  of  a 
high  order  of  merit  as  periodical  publications.  The  United 
States  leads  the  world  in  the  publication  of  this  kind  of 
matter.'  But  the  reading  matter  which  is  found  in  these 
publications  is  to  a  large  extent  light  and  trivial.  The  publi- 
cation of  serious  intellectual  works  has  shown  little  advance 
in  recent  years,^  and  there  is  a  fairly  widespread  feeling  in 

*  •♦  Yet  we  publish  more  periodicals  than  Germany,  France,  Russia,  Great 
Britain,  Switzerland,  Belgium,  and  Holland  aggregated,  and  yon  may  then  add 
all  the  other  countries  of  Europe,  then  Canada  and  Mexico.  Then  add  all  the 
Central  American  States,  and  the  South  American  States,  and  the  African 
Colonies — North,  South,  East,  and  West.  You  must  still  add  Australia,  and 
Hindoostan,  and  all  other  Asiatic  countries,  including  Japan  and  China,  and 
even  then  you  haven't  reached  the  end  of  the  story.  You  then  have  only  40  per 
cent,  of  the  total  against  our  60." — C.  W.  Burrows,  One  Cent  Postage,  etc.,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  1911,  p.  11. 

»  "  The  great  decrease  in  all  the  more  serious  departments  of  literature,  as 
well  as  in  some  of  the  lighter  ones,  is  a  curious  and  unexplainable  condition  of 
our  book  production.  Scientific  and  philosophical  writings  are  as  conspicuous 
through  their  absence  as  are  the  simply  amusing  books." — Publishers^  Weekly 
(New  York),  3  th  January  1904. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  163 

America  that  the  two  developments  are  connected.    But  that 
is  a  matter  difficult  to  determine. 

In  any  case,  many  people  are  proud  of  the  development  in 
periodicals,  and  the  department,  in  spite  of  its  efforts,  has  so  far 
failed  to  secure  any  increase  of  rate.  Although  the  Postmaster- 
General  and  the  President »  adopted  the  recommendations  of 
the  Commission  of  1911,  and  urged  their  consideration  on 
Congress,  Congress  has  not  taken  action,  and  has,  indeed, 
forbidden  the  department  to  extend  certain  arrangements  for 
the  use  of  freight  trains  for  the  transmission  of  second-class 
matter,  v^^hereby  a  saving  of  expense  could  be  secured, 
a  phenomenon  probably  explicable  by  the  constitution  of 
American  politics.* 

»  Message  to  Congress,  22nd  February  1912. 

'  •'  No  lobby  ever  sent  to  Washington  in  furtherance  of  the  most  corrupt  legisla- 
tion has  ever  been  more  persistent  or  dealt  less  fairly  with  both  legislators  and 
public  than  the  lobby  that  has  worked  for  the  retention  of  the  second-class  mail 
graft." — 0.  W.  Burrows,  On6  Cent  Postage,  etc.,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  1911,  p.  4. 


NEWSPAPER  POST   IN   FRANCE 

In  France,  printed  matter,  whether  issued  periodically  or 
otherwise,  seems  always  to  have  enjoyed  a  lower  rate  of 
postage  than  the  written  letter.  Before  the  Kevolution 
there  was  diversity  of  practice  as  regards  the  rate  of  postage 
charged  on  newspapers.  Some  privileged  papers  paid  only 
5  or  6  deniers  the  sheet,  while  others  paid  8  deniers.  All  the 
rates  were  purely  arbitrary.  When  the  Committee  on  Public 
Taxation  of  the  National  Assembly  considered  the  question  of 
fixing  the  rate  for  newspapers,  they  considered  not  only  how 
to  regularize  the  rate,  but  also  whether  they  could  raise  it. 
Viewed  from  the  economic  standpoint,  the  rate  was  thought 
by  some  to  be  inadequate.^  The  Committee  was  satisfied 
that  not  only  would  the  new  rates  cover  the  cost  of  the 
service,  but  that  there  would  also  be  a  slight  profit,  although 
they  felt  it  would  not  be  proper,  or  even  possible,  to  make  that 
part  of  the  business  of  the  Post  Office  a  really  lucrative  source 
of  re  venue.  2 

The  decree  of  17-22  August  1791  established    the  rate  of 

'  "  Je  vols  que  le  prix  du  port  des  journaux  fera  d'un  vingt-quatri^me  du  prix 
des  lettres.  Le  prix  n'est  sans  doute  pas  sufiisant  pour  les  frais  de  la  poste,  et  je 
ne  crois  pas  que  I'envoi  des  journaux  doive  ^tre  k  la  charge  de  la  nation." — M, 
Biozat,  Assembl^e  Nationale,  17  aout  1791  {Le  Moniteur  Universel). 

=*  "  Si  vous  examinez  cet  objet  sous  un  point  de  vue  fiscal,  je  vous  dirai  qu'en 
augmentant  le  tarif,  vous  diminuez  le  produifc,  en  rendant  la  circulation  de 
plusiours  feuilles  Impossible.  Le  plus  16ger  surhaussement  de  taxe  priverait  de 
tout  b^n^fice  les  autres  des  productions  p^riodiques  les  plus  utiles,  telles  que  les 
journaux  d'agriculture,  de  physique,  d'histoire  naturelle,  de  m^decine,  etc.,  qui, 
par  leur  nature,  ne  sont  pas  susceptibles  d'avoir  un  grand  nombre  de  souscrip- 
teurs.  Et  les  journaux  que  Ton  aurait  peut-etre  en  vue  d'^carter  sous  le  poids 
d'un  imp6t  on^reux  seraient  pr^cis^ment  ceux  que  I'avide  curiosity  du  public 
ferait  r^sister  k  la  surtaxe.  Personne  d'ailleurs  ne  r^voquera  ne  doute  que,  de 
tous  les  commerces,  celui  des  id^es  soit  le  plus  pr^cieux,  et  je  crois  que  vous 
devez  le  favoriser  de  toutes  les  mani^res." — M.  Larochefouoault,  Assembl^e 
Nationale,  17  aotit  1791  (ibid.). 

164 


NEWSPAPER   POST   IN   FRANCE  165 

8  deniers  per  sheet  for  daily  newspapers  (and  other  daily 
publications),  and  12  deniers  per  sheet  for  other  periodical 
publications.  Pamphlets  or  unbound  books  were  charged  a 
sou  the  sheet.  Bound  books  were  not  allowed  to  pass  by 
post.  It  is  unlikely  that  these  rates  were  remunerative. 
They  were  modified  several  times  during  the  next  few  years ; 
but  although  the  modifications  were  in  the  direction  of 
increase,  the  rates  for  newspapers  still  compared  very  favour- 
ably with  the  rates  for  letters.' 

A  law  of  6  messidor,  an  IV  (1795),  established  a  rate  of 
5  centimes  for  newspapers  and  other  periodical  publications 
delivered  in  the  place  of  publication,  and  10  centimes  for 
all  other  destinations;  but  this  discrimination  was  removed 
by  the  law  of  4  thermidor,  an  IV,  which  substituted  a  general 
rate  of  4  centimes  the  sheet.  An  attempt  was  made  by  the 
administration  to  raise  the  rates  on  newspapers  and  books. 
As  regards  newspapers  the  proposal  was,  however,  rejected  by 
the  Conseil  des  Anciens. 

In  1796  a  new  rate  for  newspapers  and  other  periodical 
publications  was  established,  viz.  4  centimes  for  each  sheet. 
For  other  printed  matter  the  rate  was  fixed  at  5  centimes  per 
sheet. 2  This  law  failed  to  prescribe  the  limits  of  size  of  the 
sheets  according  to  which  postage  was  to  be  charged,  an 
omission  supphed  by  an  ordinance  of  the  5th  March  1823, 
which  fixed  the  dimension  of  the  sheet  at  24  centimetres  by  38. 
The  newspapers  interested  tried  to  resist  this  restriction,  con- 
tending that  the  ordinance  was  illegal,  because  the  laws  of 
1796  prescribed  no  limit  and  the  Government  could  not  im- 
pose one  by  ordinance  :  for  such  a  purpose  a  new  law  was 
necessary. 

The  law  of  the  27  frimaire,  an  VIII  (17th  December  1799), 
had  established  a  scale  of  charges  according  to  weight,  and  the 

'  The  increase  during  the  Revolutionary  period  was  nevertheleas  considerable. 
Before  the  Revolution  the  cost  of  distributing  60,000  prospectuses  by  post  was 
200  livres.  Under  the  rates  then  in  operation  it  would  be  3,000  livres,  and  under 
the  new  rates  then  (1796)  proposed,  7,500  livres.  Before  the  Revolution  a  volume 
could  be  sent  from  one  end  of  France  to  the  other  for  12  sous. — A.  Belloc, 
Les  Pastes  frangaises,  Paris,  1886,  p.  353. 

'  •*  Le  conseil  des  Cinq-Cents,  consid6rant  qu'il  importe  de  faoiliter  la  circula- 
tion des  ouvrages  p6riodiques,  brochures,  catalogues,  et  prospectus  tant  pour 
encourager  la  libre  communication  des  pens^es  entre  les  citoyens  de  la  R6pub- 
lique  que  pour  augmeuter  le  total  du  revenu  public.  .  .  ." — Proclamation,  1796. 


166  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

rates  were  fixed  according  to  the  distance  actually  traversed, 
under  the  arrangements  then  existing.  This  restriction,  which 
was  unfortunate,  because  the  services  existing  during  the 
Revolutionary  period  were  not  of  a  character  to  serve  as  a 
basis  for  the  future,  was  felt  to  be  onerous,  and  numerous 
complaints  were  lodged  by  communes  which  felt  themselves 
placed  under  a  disadvantage. 

In  1827  the  rates  were  revised  and  placed  on  a  more  stable 
basis.*  The  principle  first  established  in  1791,  of  charge 
according  to  the  distance  between  two  places  reckoned  as  the 
crow  flies,  was  re-established ;  and  a  provision  was  inserted  in 
the  law  to  meet  the  difi&culty  which  had  arisen  as  to  the 
legality  of  the  ordinance  of  1823,  purporting  to  fix  the  size  of 
the  sheets  on  which  the  postage  on  printed  matter  was 
calculated.  Postage  on  newspapers  and  periodicals  was  made 
5  centimes  for  each  sheet  of  30  square  decimetres  for  all 
destinations;  but  the  charge  was  reduced  by  one-half  for 
newspapers  and  periodicals  circulated  within  the  department 
where  they  were  published,  the  reduced  rate  being  established 
with  the  view  of  protection  of  the  country  Press,  whose  sub- 
scribers were  in  general  local,  against  the  competition  of  the 
Parisian  Press.  In  1830  the  rate  of  5  centimes  the  sheet  for 
newspapers  and  other  periodical  publications  was  reduced  to 

4  centimes.     The  rates  of  1827  remained  otherwise  unchanged. 

In  1850  the  newspaper  tax  and  the  postage  were  assimilated 
— that  is  to  say,  newspapers  were  subjected  only  to  one  tax, 
and  payment  of  that  tax  secured  the  right  of  transmission  by 
post.  The  tax  was  at  the  rate  of  5  centimes  per  sheet  of 
72  square  decimetres  or  less  for  newspapers  published  in  the 
departments  of  Seine  and  Seine-et-Oise,  and  2  centimes  for 
those  published  elsewhere.    All  newspapers  on  which  a  tax  of 

5  centimes  was  paid,  were  entitled  to  free  transmission  by 
post  throughout  France.  Those  on  which  a  tax  of  2  centimes 
was  paid,  were  entitled  to  free  transmission  by  post  within 
the  department  in  which  they  were  published  and  the 
adjoining  departments.  In  order  to  obtain  transmission  by 
post  throughout  France,  an  additional  sum  of  3  centimes  per 
paper  must  be  paid  on  these  latter  newspapers. ^  The  Minister 
of  Justice,  in  introducing  the  measure  in  the  National  As- 

»  Law  of  16ih  March  1827,  »  Law  of  16th  July  1850. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  FRANCE  167 

sembly,  explained  that  it  would  serve  a  double  purpose  :  on 
the  one  hand  it  would  give  an  increase  of  revenue  of  some  six 
millions  a  year;  and  on  the  other  it  would  safeguard  society 
against  detestable  doctrines,  because  it  would  fall  specially  on 
those  evil  newspapers  and  books'  which  were  circulated  at  a 
low  price  in  town  and  country,  propagating  prejudices  and 
error,  exciting  the  passions  and  corrupting  the  conscience  of 
the  public.2 

Louis  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  in  1852,  desirous  that  there 
should  be  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  his  ultimate  assumption 
of  absolute  power  and  the  Imperial  crown,  issued  a  decree 
further  restricting  the  Press  in  France.  The  publication  of 
newspapers  or  periodicals  dealing  with  political  or  economic 
questions,  unless  authorized  by  the  Government,  was  for- 
bidden ;  and  the  rates  of  postage  in  force  prior  to  the  law  of 
1850  were  imposed  on  newspapers,  in  addition  to  the  tax 
imposed  by  that  law.3  The  same  principles  led  to  the  dis- 
crimination introduced  in  1856  between  political  and  non- 
political  papers.  The  former  were  subjected  to  a  higher  rate 
of  postage  than  newspapers  of  a  non-political  character, 
because  the  Government  felt  it  to  be  necessary  that  there 
should  be  some  moderating  influence  to  check  the  effect  of 
political  journals  in  times  of  intense  political  excitement,  and 
adopted  this  expedient.4 

The  rates  for  printed  matter  had  for  a  long  period  caused 
considerable  confusion,  and  given  rise  to  many  complaints 
from  members  of  the  public.  They  were  still  determined 
according  to  the  linear  surface  of  the  sheets,  a  method  which 
was  found  to  cause  considerable  embarrassment  and  di£&culty 
in  its  practical  application.  To  all  other  classes  of  postal 
traffic  the  more  logical  and  more  convenient  principle  of 
charge  according  to  weight  had  already  been  applied,  and  in 


*  There  was  also  at  this  time  a  tax  on  books. 

=•  M.  Rouher,  Assembl^e  Nationale,  21  mars  1850  {Le  Moniteur  Universel). 
3  Decree  of  17th  February  1852. 

*  The  political  Press  was  somewhat  strictly  controlled.  The  law  of  1814  on 
the  liberty  of  the  Press,  which  was  continued  by  the  Press  law  of  the  27th  June 
1849,  imposed  on  every  printer  the  obligation  to  deposit  with  the  Procurator 
Imperial  every  article  treating  of  political  matters  or  social  economy  twenty-four 
hours  before  publication,  under  penalty  of  a  fine  of  100  to  500  fr.  A  decree  of 
1852  subjected  political  publications  to  a  stamp  duty. 


168  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

1856  this  principle  was  applied  also  to  printed  matter  of  all 
descriptions.  Weight  was  made  the  basis  of  the  charge,  with- 
out reference  to  superficies  or  to  distance,  except  that  for 
political  reasons  the  privilege  of  half-rates  for  newspapers 
circulating  in  the  department  in  which  they  were  published 
was  continued.^  The  reduction  of  the  actual  rates  made  by 
this  law  was  slight,  and  was  estimated  not  to  have  any 
appreciable  effect  on  the  total  revenue.  In  any  case  the 
question  was  "  regarded  less  from  the  financial  point  of  view 
than  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  satisfaction  which  it 
would  give  to  the  needs  of  commerce  and  industry  and  of 
private  intercourse  in  general."  ^  The  new  rate  was  1  centime 
for  each  10  grammes,  with  a  minimum  of  4  centimes  for 
political,  and  2  centimes  for  non-political  newspapers. 

This  reduction  of  rate,  together  with  the  reduction  for  other 
printed  matter,  for  samples,  and  for  commercial  papers,  resulted 
in  a  large  increase  in  the  number  of  bulky  packets  sent  by  post. 
In  order  to  ensure  prompt  delivery,  it  was  found  necessary 
in  Paris  to  separate  to  some  extent  the  letter-post  traffic  from 
the  traffic  sent  at  the  lower  rates,  and  the  principle  of  provid- 
ing a  separate  staff  of  postmen  for  the  delivery  of  newspapers, 
magazines,  samples,  etc.,  was  introduced. 3  The  application  of 
this  principle  has  since  been  extended,  and  the  two  kinds  of 
traffic  are  now  dealt  with  in  Paris  altogether  separately,  by 
separate  staffs  of  officers. 

The  newspaper  rates  were  next  revised  in  1878.  The  dis- 
crimination  between   political    and   non-political   newspapers 

*  *'  Les  journaux  n'6tant  plus  dangereux  et  ne  pouvant  plus  faire  que  du  bien, 
I'honorable  membre  eut  desir6  qu'une  l^gere  reduction  des  droits  de  poste  leur 
permit  d'acqu^rir  une  existence  plus  sur,  plus  ind^pendante,  afin  qu'on  ptit  les 
retrouver  fiddles  et  d^vou^s,  si  la  France  avait  encore  des  jours  difficiles  k 
traverser.  Nul  n'a  oubli6,  en  eSot,  I'admirable  attitude  de  la  Presse  d^part- 
mentale  au  milieu  des  ^v^nements  de  1848,  son  empressement  a  se  rallier  a  la 
cause  du  President  de  la  Republique,  le  courage  que  ses  r^dacteurs  ont  montrd 
pour  la  defense  de  I'ordre,  courage  que  quelques-un  on  pay6  de  leur  vie. 

"  Telles  sont  les  considerations  d'equite  et  de  politique  qui  avaient  fait 
r^clamer  en  faveur  de  la  Presse  d^partmentale  une  reduction  de  taxe.  Tout  ce 
que  la  commission  a  pu  obtenir,  c'est  qu'il  n'y  aura  pas  d'aggravation  de  taxe 
lorsque  le  num^ros  circuleront  dans  les  departments  limitropbes.  Rien  ou  a 
peu  pr^s  rien  ne  sera  done  change  aux  charges  que  les  journaux  de  province 
ont  support^es  jusqu'^  ce  jour." — M.  Paul  Dupont,  Chambrc  des  Deputes, 
31  mai  1856  {Le  Moniteur  TJniversel). 

»  Motif  du  loi,  cited  A.  Belloc,  op.  cit.,  p.  542.  3  Ibid.,  p.  545. 


NEWSPAPER  POST   IN   FRANCE  169 

was  abolished,  but  the  privilege  accorded  to  local  newspapers 
was  continued.     The  new  rates  were : — 

1.  Two  centimes  for  the  first  25  grammes  and  1  centime  for  each  further 
25  grammes  or  fraction  of  25  grammes  for  newspapers  published  in  the  depart- 
ments of  Seine  and  Seino-et-Oise  and  circulating  outside  the  department  where 
published ;  and  for  newspapers  published  in  other  departments  and  circulating 
outside  the  department  where  published  and  the  adjacent  departments. 

2.  One  centime  for  the  first  25  grammes  and  J  centime  for  each  additional 
25  grammes  or  fraction  of  25  grammes  for  newspapers  published  in  the  depart- 
ments of  Seine  or  Seine-et-Oise  and  circulating  within  the  department  where 
published. 

3.  One  centime  for  the  first  50  grammes  and  ^  centime  for  each  additional 
25  grammes  or  fraction  of  25  grammes  for  provincial  papers  other  than  those  of 
Seine  and  Seine-et-Oise,  circulating  within  the  department  whore  published  or 
adjacent  departments. 

The  existing  rate  for  inland  newspapers,  which  is  based  on 
the  law  of  the  16th  April  1895,  is  as  follows  : — 

Two  centimes  for  each  copy  up  to  50  grammes,  and  1  centime  for  each 
25  grammes  or  fraction  of  25  grammes  above  50  grammes. 

Only  half  these  rates  is  charged  when  the  papers  circulate 
within  the  department  in  which  they  are  published  or  the 
adjacent  department. 

In  1908^  the  rates  in  respect  of  newspapers  sorted  and  bundled 
according  to  the  offices  of  destination  and  the  post  routes,  were 
reduced  to  1  centime  for  the  first  50  grammes  and  1  centime 
for  each  additij)nal  25  grammes  or  fraction  of  25  grammes — 
half  this  rate  being  charged  for  papers  circulating  within  the 
department  of  publication  or  the  adjacent  departments. 

The  value  of  a  centime  is  roughly  one-tenth  of  a  penny. 
It  is  hardly  necessary,  therefore,  to  point  out  that  these  rates 
are  divorced  entirely  from  economic  considerations,  and  are 
to  be  explained  only  on  political  and  administrative  grounds.^ 

'  Law  of  29th  April. 

*  "  La  poste  perd  sur  le  transport  des  joumaux  et  des  imprimis. 

"  Pour  rann<5e  1889,  M.  Jaccottey  {TraiU  de  Ugislation  et  d' exploitation 
postales,  p.  329)  calculait  que  le  coiit,  c'est-4-dire  la  d^pense  moyennement,  fait 
pour  un  objet  quelconque  de  correspondancc,  n'avait  pas  etd  sup6riour  k  0  f r.  055. 
II  fixait  de  mfime  le  produit  moyen  des  imprimis,  par  unit4,  h  0  fr.  023,  et  11 
^valuait  la  perte  du  Tr(5sor  k  25  millions.  .  .  . 

"Le  nombre  des  imprimis  de  toute  categoric  6tait  k  cette  ^poque  de  800 
millions.  .  .  . 

"Or,  il  y  a  eu,  en  1895,  dans  la  circulation  int^rieure  : — 

'•514,957,761  journaux  ayant  rapports  8,378,873  fr.  soit,  par  unit6, 
1  centime  62,  472,202,885  imprimds    de    toute    nature,    dont  82,597,172  sou 


170  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

It  has  been  estimated  that  in  1895  the  loss  on  printed  matter 
of  all  kinds  was  36  million  francs. 

In  France,  as  in  other  countries,  the  privilege  of  transmit- 
ting periodical  publications  at  a  specially  low  rate  of  postage 
was  much  availed  of  for  the  transmission  of  advertising 
matter,  of  publications  which  were  essentially  of  the  character 
of  catalogues  or  prospectuses  rather  than  newspapers  properly 
speaking.  A  law  of  1908,  ^  passed  with  a  view,  among  other 
things,  of  minimizing  this  abuse  of  the  privilege,  restricted 
the  application  of  the  reduced  rate  to  publications  issued 
not  less  frequently  than  once  a  month.  The  new  regulation 
had  good  results,  restricting,  as  was  desired,  the  number  of 
periodical  publications  not  legitimately  entitled  to  the  privi- 
lege. It  had  also  a  result  which  was  regarded  by  Parliament 
as  undesirable  :  it  shut  out  from  the  privilege  the  numerous 
quarterly  journals  of  scientific  and  learned  societies.^ 

By  the  same  law  the  minimum  rate  of  postage  for  small 
packets  of  printed  matter  sent  under  loose  band,  the  imprimes 
non  urgent,  was  raised  from  1  centime  to  2  centimes. 
The  result  of  this  was  a  little  unsatisfactory.  In  order  to 
evade  the  higher  charge,  advertisers  took  to  printing  in  news- 
papers, circulating  at  1  centime,  announcements  formerly  sent 
out  separately  as  loose  leaflets,  a  manoeuvre  which  struck 
doubly :  not  only  was  the  legitimate  rate  of  postage  evaded, 
but  instead  of  dealing  with  the  matter  as  non-urgent  at  its 
convenience,  the  Post  Office  was   obliged  to  treat  it  in  the 


enveloppes,  avec  un  produit  total  de  13,791,025  ou  par  unit^  2  centimes  92, 
Pour  ces  987,160,646  journaux,  p^riodiquea,  imprimis  de  toute  categoric,  cir- 
culent  k  prix  r^duit,  la  recette  total  a  6t6  de  22,169,975  fr.  et  le  produit  moyen 
de  2  centimes  24=5. 

"La  perte  a  done  6t6  de  pr^s  de  36  millions." — Rapport  portant  fixation  du 
Budget,  Chambre  dea  D^put^s,  1907 ;  No.  2701,  p.  37. 

»  29th  April  1908. 

'  ♦'  II  serait  k  desirer  qu'on  piit  rem^dier  k  une  consequence  regrettable  de  la 
disposition  particuli^re  qui  reserve  aux  seuls  journaux  paraissant  au  moins  une 
fois  par  mois  le  tarif  special  accord^  k  la  Presse. 

*•  En  fermant  la  porte  aux  feuilles  d'annonces  trimestrielles  on  I'aussi  ferm^e 
aux  bulletins  et  annales  de  meme  p^riodicite  publies  par  un  grand  nombre 
d'associations  et  de  soci^t^s  (soci^t^s  litt^raries,  arch^ologiques,  scientifiques, 
agricoles,  syndicats  professionels  et  agricoles,  associations  professionellea 
amicales  d'instituteurs,  soci6t6s  de  secours  mutuels,  etc.),  qui  doivent  etre 
encourag^es  par  tons  les  moyens  au  lieu  d'etre  g^n^es  dans  leur  essor." — Ibid., 
S^nat,  1908,  No.  340,  p.  84. 


NEWSPAPER   POST   IN   FRANCE  171 

same  way  as  all  other  newspaper  matter — that  is,  to  give  it 
the  benefit  of  equal  treatment  with  matter  sent  at  the 
letter  rate. 

Note  on  Supplements. 

A  decree  of  the  24th  November  1860  gave  to  the  two 
Chambers  the  constitutional  right  of  discussing  the  policy  of 
the  Government  at  home  and  abroad,  and  as  a  natural  corollary 
of  this  it  was  desired  to  secure  the  untrammelled  publication 
and  distribution  of  reports  of  the  debates.  This  was  attained 
by  exempting  from  postage  the  supplements  of  journals  when 
they  were  devoted  entirely  to  the  reproduction  of  the  official 
reports  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Chambers,  the  motifs  des 
projets  de  lots,  reports  of  parliamentary  commissions,  or  official 
documents  deposited  by  the  Government  at  the  office  of  the 
Chambers. 

The  Press  law  of  the  11th  May  1868  extended  the  exemp- 
tion to  supplements  devoted  to  the  extent  of  one  half  to  the 
publication  of  reports  of  parliamentary  debates  or  documents, 
but  only  on  condition  that  the  supplements  contained  no 
advertisements.  The  privilege  was  continued  by  the  law  of 
1878.'  In  order  to  obtain  the  privilege  the  supplements  must 
be  printed  on  sheets  detached  from  the  main  publication,  but 
they  must  be  enclosed  with  the  publication.  They  must  not 
exceed  in  size  that  part  of  the  paper  subject  to  postage,  and 
if  sent  separately,  they  are  liable  to  postage  at  the  ordinary 
rate.  In  1869  the  official  reports  of  parliamentary  debates 
were  exempted  from  postage  when  sent  by  the  printer  to  the 
editors  of  country  papers,  or  by  those  editors  to  their  sub- 
scribers, if  enclosed  with  the  local  paper. 

M.  Jaccottey's  view  is  that  in  order  to  conform  to  the  spirit 
of  the  law,  the  rate  for  periodicals  ought  to  be  confined  to 
newspapers  and  other  periodical  publications  devoted  to  letters, 
science,  and  arts ;  and  that  it  is  an  abuse  of  the  privilege  that 
commercial  advertising  should  avail  itself  of  the  privilege  by, 
say,  publishing  at  regular  intervals  successive  editions  of  library 

»  Defined  thus  in  the  law  of  1878 :  "  Pour  moiti6  au  moins  de  leur  superfioie 
k  la  reproduction  des  d^bats  des  Chambres,  des  exposes  des  motifs  des  projets 
de  lois,  des  rapports  de  commissions,  des  actes  et  documents  officiels,  et  des 
cours,  offioiels  ou  non,  des  halles,  bourses,  et  marches." 


172  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

catalogues,  or  by  borrowing  the  titles  of  illustrated  journals, 
their  outside  covers,  and  the  methods  of  distribution,  and  in- 
serting in  them  prospectuses  which  are  not  of  the  nature  of 
periodicals.' 

Ordinary  supplements  may  be  enclosed  in  newspapers. 
They  are  weighed  with  the  paper,  and  postage  is  charged 
according  to  the  total  weight.  If  sent  separately,  they  are 
regarded  as  a  number  of  the  paper,  and  postage  is  charged 
accordingly.  In  order  to  obtain  the  benefit  of  the  privileged 
rate,  all  supplements  must  bear  printed  indication  of  the  fact 
that  they  are  supplements,  and  must  bear  the  title  and  date  of 
the  main  paper.^ 

These  definitions  were  amplified  by  the  administration  in 
1896  by  an  instruction  (No.  468)  which  provided  that  detached 
advertisement  sheets  of  any  sort,  issued  exceptionally  (feuille- 
tons,  fiction,  stop  press  news,  late  articles,  pictures,  artistic 
engravings,  or  others),  which  are  the  genuine  production  of  the 
publication,  whatever  the  size  and  shape  or  pagination,  ought 
to  be  regarded  as  fulfilling  the  conditions  prescribed  by  law 
for  supplements  and  to  be  admitted  to  the  privilege  of  the 
reduced  rate. 

*  P.  Jacoottey,  op.  cit.,  p.  322. 

^  Certain  questions  arose  on  this  point,  and  the  Council  of  State  decided 
that  there  was  no  need  to  inquire  whether  the  printed  sheet  added  to  the  news- 
paper constituted  an  accidental  and  unforeseen  addition,  whether  it  was  the 
production  of  the  paper,  whether  it  really  appertained  to  the  paper,  nor 
whether  it  was  printed  at  the  same  time.  All  that  was  necessary,  in  order 
that  it  might  be  regarded  as  a  supplement,  was  that  it  should  bear  the  title 
and  date  of  the  number  which  it  accompanied. — Ibid.,  p.  325. 

The  Keeper  of  the  Seals  concurred  in  this  opinion,  and  held  that  it  was 
unnecessary  to  inquire  into  the  circumstance  in  which  the  supplement  was 
joined  to  the  paper,  whether  it  was  special  or  whether  it  was  printed  at  the  same 
time  ;  but  that  the  supplement  ought  to  fulfil  the  conditions  imposed  on  all 
newspapers,  to  mention  the  title  of  the  paper,  together  with  the  date  or  serial 
number,  and  to  preserve,  at  least  materially,  the  appearance  of  an  annexe  to  the 
principal  journal. — Ad.  Frault,  Manzoel  postal,  thAorique  et  pratique,  Paris,  1893, 
pp.  385-6. 


NEWSPAPER  POST   IN   GERMANY 

Fbom  the  time  of  their  first  publication  in  Germany,  news- 
papers have  been  distributed  through  the  post.  Little  is 
known  of  the  precise  arrangements  under  which  they  were 
at  first  transmitted,  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  they  were 
accorded  privileged  conditions  as  compared  with  ordinary 
letters.  The  postmasters  were  themselves  largely  interested 
in  the  publication  of  newspapers.^  By  1712  the  conduct  of 
newspaper  businesses  by  postmasters  had  become  recognized 
as  a  common  and  long-established  arrangement.^ 

The  distribution  of  the  newspapers  was  largely  made 
through  the  post,  and  a  rate  of  charge,  built  up  of  two 
elements,  came  into  existence.  The  first  element  was  the 
"discount"  (der  Babatt).  This  was  a  payment  made  by  the 
publisher  to  the  postmaster  as  remuneration  for  the  work 
of  the  latter  in  connection  with  the  posting  and  despatch  of 
the  papers  and  the  collection  of  subscriptions.  This  discount 
was  arranged  between  the  postmaster  and  the  publisher,  and 
generally  took  the  form  of  a  fixed  percentage  proportion  of 
the  published  price  {Erlasspreis) .  The  second  element  was 
the  "percentage"  (die  Provision).  This  was  in  addition  to 
the  published  price.  It  was  collected  from  the  addressee,  and 
belonged  partly  to  the  postmaster  at  the  place  of  destination 
and  partly  to  the  postmaster  at  the  place  of  publication.3 
The  rates  were  fixed  by  the  postmasters  at  their  discretion, 
and  gross  irregularities  and  anomalies  in  the  rates  resulted. 

*  The  second  oldest  newspaper  in  Germany,  the  Postavisen,  which  appeared  in 
Frankfurt  in  1617,  was  published  by  the  Taxis  Postmaster,  Johann  von  den 
Birghden.  Gf.  B.  Faulhaber,  Oeschichte  des  Postwesens  in  Frankfurt-am-Main, 
Frankfurt,  1883,  p.  62. 

»  Dr.  Artur  Schmidt,  Fvnanz-Archiv,  1906,  vol.  23,  part  i.  p.  64 ;  Archw  fiiir 
Post  und  Telegraphic,  1884,  p.  290. 

3  Archiv  fur  Post  und  Telegraphic,  1884,  p.  291. 

173 


174  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

Public  complaint  arose,  and  it  was  found  necessary  for  the 
State  to  assume  control  of  the  traffic  and  fix  definite  rates  of 
charge.  This  course  was  first  adopted  in  Prussia  in  1821, 
when  the  following  rates  were  estabHshed ' : — 

4    pf .  for  each  whole  sheet  of  the  primary  publication  (Hauptblattes 

2ipf.     „        half 

IJ  pf.     „        quarter        „  „  „  „ 

IJ  pf.     ,,        whole  ,,  supplement 

1    pf.     „        half  „  „ 

This  method  of  charge  did  not,  however,  prove  altogether 
satisfactory,  because  the  term  **  sheet  "  was  not  defined  with 
any  degree  of  precision.  It  was  thought  that  a  better  basis 
for  the  rate  might  be  found  in  the  price  at  which  the  news- 
papers were  sold  to  the  public,  because,  it  was  argued,  the 
price  must  stand  in  exact  proportion  to  the  number  and  size 
of  the  copies,  and  also  to  their  real  value.  Accordingly,  in 
1848  the  rate  was  fixed  generally  at  25  per  cent,  of  the 
published  price.^  At  a  somewhat  later  date  this  rate  was 
reduced  to  12J  per  cent,  of  the  published  price  in  the  case 
of  newspapers  appearing  less  frequently  than  four  times  a 
month.3  In  1871  the  minimum  yearly  rate  payable  in  respect 
of  any  newspaper  was  fixed  at  4  sgr.4 

The  application  of  this  tariff  resulted  in  many  cases  in 
considerable  discrepancies  between  the  amount  charged  and 
the  service  rendered.  The  improvements  in  the  manufacture 
of  paper  and  in  the  methods  of  printing,  particularly  the 
introduction  of  the  rotary  press,  had  cheapened  the  processes 
of  production,  and  led  to  a  great  expansion  of  the  newspaper 
trade.  With  this  expansion  came  a  more  than  proportionate 
expansion  of  the  business  of  advertising.  The  result  was  that, 
as  in   England   and  America,   the   newspapers  increased   in 

*  Begulativ  liber  die  kiinftige  Verwaltung  des  Zeitungswesens,  15th  Decem- 
ber 1821. 

=^  Decree  of  26th  June  1848. 

3  Statute  of  4th  November  1867,  fixing  rates  of  postage  for  the  North  German 
Union : — 

*•  Diese  Bestimmung  entsprang  aus  der  Erkenntnlss,  dass  die  weniger  haufig 
erscheinenden  Zeitschriften  durch  die  voile  Besorgungsgebiihr  von  25  pet.  dea 
Verlagspreises  um  so  barter  getroffen  wiirden,  als  letzterer  der  Natur  der  Sache 
nach  in  vielen  Fallen  verhaltnisamassir  hocV  sei." — Archiv  fiir  Fost  und 
TelegrapMe,  1884,  p.  296. 

*  Statute  of  28th  November 


NEWSPAPER   POST  IN   GERMANY  175 

bulk ;  but  so  far  from  there  being  a  corresponding  increase 
in  price,  there  was  in  point  of  fact  a  very  considerable 
decrease.  Moreover,  advertisements  became  a  more  impor- 
tant source  of  revenue  than  the  subscriptions  themselves.  A 
rate  of  charge  based  on  the  selling  price,  which  might  have 
been  reasonable  when  newspapers  were  produced  under  the 
old  conditions,  was  totally  inapplicable  under  the  altered 
circumstances. ' 

The  financial  results  proved  extremely  unsatisfactory. 
From  the  causes  indicated,  the  average  weight  of  the  indi- 
vidual copies  of  newspapers  continued  to  increase,  while  at 
the  same  time  the  price  (and  with  the  price,  the  postage) 
continued  to  decrease. 

In  1897  the  administration  of  the  Imperial  Post  Office 
estimated  that  the  total  cost  of  the  transmission  of  news- 
papers by  post  in  Germany,  for  staff,  post  offices,  transport, 
equipment,  etc.,  was  6,178,362  M.,  or  about  -^^^  pf.  per 
copy.2  The  number  of  newspapers  transmitted  by  post 
in  Germany  was  at  that  time  about  a  thousand  millions 
annually,  and  the  total  postage  received  in  respect  of  them 
was    less    than    5    million    M.,    or    on    the    average    about 

*  *•  Wir  haben  heute  In  Deutschland  Blatter,  deren  Jahresabonnement  jahrlich 
2  Mark  betragt,  und  solche,  deren  Jahresabonnement  bis  40  Mark  betrfigt.  Die 
Post  erhebt  nun  an  Gebiihr  25  Prozent  von  dem  Abonnementspreise,  womit  sie 
die  Beforderungskosten  decken  muss.  Die  Post  erhalt  fiir  dieselbe  Leistung 
von  einem  taglichen  Blatte,  welcbos  40  Mark  Abonnementspreis  erhebt,  10  Mark 
pro  Jahr  und  von  dem  andern  taglichen  Blatt,  welches  bloss  2  Mark  erhebt, 
50  Pfennig  pro  Jahr.  Das  ist  ein  ganz  unhaltbarer  Zustand.  Wenn  Sie  beide 
Blatte  nun  auf  ihren  Inhalt  priifen,  was  erblicken  Sie  da  ?  Auf  der  einen  Seite 
Inseratenblatt,  das  den  Text  als  Nebensache  behandelt,  das  mit  sehr  nie- 
drigen  Redaktionskosten  hergestellt  wird.  Auf  der  anderen  Seite  haben  Sie  ein 
Blatt,  zu  dessen  Herstellung  hervorragende  Krafte,  mit  einem  Worte  Intelll- 
genz  erforderlich  ist,  und  dass  die  Intelligenz  nicht  billig  ist,  wissen  wir  alle 
miteinander ;  diese  muss  bezahlt  werden.  Fiir  die  Post  bildet  die  Haupt- 
signatur  der  Zeitungen  :  viele  Anzeigen — schweres  Gewicht ;  niedriger  Abonne- 
mentspreis— niedrige  Postprovision  (well  die  Herstellungskosten  durch  die 
Inserate  godeckt  werden).  Die  Post  macht  in  Folge  dessen  ein  echlechtea 
Geschaft  damit.  Ein  Blatt  mit  wenigen  Anzeigen  bedeutet  auch  gleichzeitig 
ein  geringeres  Gewicht  und  einen  hoheren  Abonnementspreis,  und  das  setzt 
sine  hohe  Postprovision  voraus. 

"  Das  sind  Erscheinungen,  iiber  die  selt  Jahrengeklagt  wird,  und  die  duroh 
die  neue  Vorlage  in  ein  gerechteres  Verhaltniss  zu  Leistung  und  Gegenleistung 
gebracht  werden  sollen." — Abgeordneter  Dietz,  Reichstag,  Official  Reports, 
15th  November  1899,  vol.  iv.  p.  2799. 

'  Dr.  Artur  Schmidt,  Fmanz-Archw,  vol.  23,  part  i.  p.  69. 


176  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

i  pf .  per  copy  ;  ^  in  the  case  of  a  number  of  papers  the  postage 
was  as  little  as  -^.^  P^-  P^^^  copy.^  The  annual  loss  to  the 
administration  on  account  of  the  newspaper  tralB&c  was  there- 
fore on  the  average  ^^q  pf.  per  copy,  or  a  total  of  about 
1,600,000  M.  a  year. 

For  many  years  the  question  was  before  the  Budget 
Commission  of  the  Keichstag,  and  a  change  soon  followed 
the  publication  of  this  estimate.  New  rates,  based  on  entirely 
new  principles,  were  established  in  1899. 

When  the  Act  establishing  the  new  rates  was  in  pre- 
paration, the  Imperial  Post  Office  administration  based  their 
proposals  mainly  on  the  principle  that  the  charges  should 
cover  the  cost  of  the  service  rendered.s  The  original  proposals 
to  the  Reichstag  were  accordingly  calculated  to  secure  an 
increased  revenue  of  IJ  million  M.  The  Budget  Com- 
mission, however,  so  modified  the  proposals  as  to  reduce  this 
amount  to  300,000  M.,  and  further  modifications  were 
made  in  the  Keichstag  itself,  with  the  result  that  under  the 
new  rates  the  administration  was  left  to  work  with  an  even 
greater  loss  than  formerly. 4 

The  large  publications  of  the  great  cities,  supported  as  they 
were  to  a  large  extent  by  the  advertisements  they  carried, 
had    obtained    a  wide    circulation,   to   the   prejudice   of  the 

»  In  1871  the  number  of  newspapers  passing  by  post  was  203  millions,  and  the 
average  postage  ^V^  pf .  per  copy. 

=  Beichstagy  Official  Reports,  vol.  iv.  pp.  2923-4:  '*  Seit  20  Jahren  ist  im 
Reichstag  sowohl  als  auch  in  der  Budgetkommission  erneut  die  Forderung 
aufgestellt  worden,  es  soil  ein  anderer  Tarif  aufgestellt  werden.  In  der  Budget- 
kommission ist  namentlich  in  den  letzten  zehn  Jahren  von  den  verschiedensten 
Parteien  anerkannt  worden,  dass  die  Post  bei  der  Beforderung  der  Zeitungen 
thatsachlich  mit  Verlust  arbeitet,  und  dass  demzufolge  seitens  der  Zeitungen 
eine  hohere  Gebiihr  entrichtet  werden  miisste.  Ich  kann  den  Herren  nur  das 
Beispiel,  welches  in  der  Budgetkommission  des  ofteren  erlautert  worden  ist, 
wieder  vorfiihren.  Wir  befordern  rund  400  Millionen  Drucksachen ;  fiir  diese, 
400  Millionen  Drucksachen  nehmen  wir  15  Millionen  ein.  Demgegeniiber 
stehen  eine  Milliarde  Zeitungsexemplare  und  eine  Einnahme  von  noch  nicht 
6  Millionen." — Von  Podbielski  (Postmaster- General),  21st  November  1899. 

3  ••  Es  musste  ein  Tarif  gefunden  werden,  der  auf  dem  Grundsatz  der 
Abwagung  der  Leistung  und  Oegenleistung  beruht,  der  der  Postverwaltung  eine 
massige  Mehreinnahme  wenigstens  fiir  die  Zukunft,  wenn  auch  nicht  fiir  die 
unmittelbare  Gegenwart  sichert. "— Dr.  Oertel,  15th  November  1899;  Reichstag, 
Official  Reports,  vol.  iv.  p.  2801. 

4  Von  Podbielski,  21st  November  1899 ;  Reichstag,  Official  Reports,  vol.  iv. 
p.  2924. 


NEWSPAPER   POST  IN  GERMANY  177 

provincial  Press. ^  With  a  view  to  affording  some  measure 
of  protection  to  the  provincial  Press  as  against  the  Press 
of  the  large  cities,  proposals  were  made  in  the  Reichstag  for 
the  adoption  of  a  zone  rate  for  newspapers  on  the  ground  that 
the  cost  to  the  Post  Office  for  distributing  newspapers  at  great 
distances  was  appreciably  greater  than  the  cost  of  distribution 
in  the  case  of  newspapers  sent  short  distances  only,  and  that 
a  zone  rate  would  therefore  be  just.^  The  authorities  were 
not,  however,  prepared  to  adopt  this  proposal,  which  they 
characterized  as  retrograde  and  unnecessary. 3  They  con- 
sidered that  if  the  rate  were  raised  for  the  longer  distances 
the  traffic  would  be  taken  away  from  the  Post  Office  by 
private  enterprise,  and  if  the  rate  for  the  shorter  distances 
were  further  lowered,  the  revenue  from  newspapers  would  be 
still  further,  and  undesirably,  reduced. 

The  new  scheme  of  rates  of  1899  was  based  on  three  con- 
siderations :  the  length  of  time  covered  by  the  subscription, 

'  "  Die  Inseratenpresse  macht  eine  sehr  starke  Konkurrenz  auch  der  Pro- 
vinzialpressG,  der  kleinen  Presse.  Die  erstere  hat  langsam  den  Abonnements- 
preia  so  weit  herabgedriickt,  dass  schliesslich  die  Provinzpresse,  wenn  sie  nicht 
zu  Grunde  gehen  woUte,  gleichfalls  mit  einer  Ermassigung  des  Abonnements- 
proises  hat  vorgeben  miissen,  mit  oinor  Ermassigung,  die  sich  wirthschaftlich 
nioht  aufrecht  orhalten  lasst.  Die  Abonnementspreise  sind  hier  und  da  so 
niedrig  geworden,  dass  manche  Verleger  wohl  Ursache  gehabt  haben,  zu  schreien, 
man  moge  ihnen  seitens  der  Post  durch  einen  geroohten  Tarif  entgegenk'^mmen, 
um  die  furohtbare  Konkurrenz  in  etwas  zu  mildern." — Abgeordnetor  Dietz, 
15th  November  1899  ;  Reichstag,  Official  Reports,  vol.  iv.  p.  2799. 

•  ♦♦  Dor  Zonentarif  ist  meiner  Ansicht  nach  vollkommen  gerechtfertigt  auch 
vom  Qeaichtspunkte  der  Leistung  und  der  Gegenleistung  aus.  Die  kleine 
Provinzpresse  bleibt  auf  oinen  kleinen  Verbreitungsbezirk  beschrankt,  und  dorfc 
ist  sio  in  vielen  Exemplaren  an  einem  und  demselben  Orte  verbreitet.  Die  grosse 
Presse  dagegen  geht  in  einzelnen  Exemplaren  durch  das  ganze  Reich,  sie 
vorursacht  demgemass  der  Post  bedeutend  mehr  Kosten  und  Lasten,  mehr 
Arbeit  als  die  kleine  Presse.  Der  Herr  Staatssekretar  dea  Roichspostamta  hat 
daa  in  der  Kommission  aelbst  zugeben  miissen.  Er  wies  z.  B.  darauf  hin,  dass 
schon  jetzt  durch  die  grosse  Anzahl  von  Blattern,  welche  von  Berlin  aua  in  die 
Provinz  hineingehen,  die  Post  gezwungen  ware,  tagtaglich  einen  Extrapostwagen 
zu  stellen,  welcher  lediglich  Zeitungen  von  hier  nach  Koln  mit  der  Eisenbahn 
befordert ;  die  Beforderung  dieses  einen  Wagens  koste  der  Post  120,000  Mark. 
Bei  dieser  Beforderung  kommt  aber  im  grossen  und  ganzen  nur  die  grosse  oder 
die  farblose  Presse,  welche  zu  einem  billigeren  Preise  gegeben  wird,  inBetracht. 
Die  kleine  Provinzpresse  macht  der  Post  nicht  derartige  Ausgaben,  wie  ich 
bereits  vorhin  betont  habe.  Daher  erscheint  es  angebracht,  dass  wir  zwei 
Zonen  schaffen,  dass  die  Zeitungen  in  der  ersten  Zone  zu  einem  billigeren 
Satze  versendet  worden  als  diejenigen  in  der  zweiten  Zone." — Dr,  Marcour, 
15th  November  1899 ;  Reichstag,  Official  Reports,  vol.  iv.  p.  2796. 

3  Von  Podbielski,  16th  November  1899  ;  ibid.,  vol,  iv,  p,  2797. 

13 


178  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

the  frequency  of  issue,  and  the  weight  of  the  newspaper ;  ancf 
the  rates  were  reckoned  in  the  following  way  : — 

(a)  Two  pf .  for  each  month  of  sending. 

(b)  15  pf .  yearly  for  papers  appearing  once  weekly  or  less  frequently,  and  15  pf . 
yearly  more  for  each  further  publication  weekly. 

(c)  10  pf.  yearly  for  each  kilogramme  of  the  yearly  weight,  subject  to  a  free 
weight  of  1  kilogramme  yearly  for  each  of  so  many  editions  as  the  rate  {b)  is 
applied  to.' 

The  weight  for  any  year  was  to  be  fixed  according  to  the 
actual  weight  of  the  numbers  of  the  paper  during  the  previous 
year,  and  for  new  publications  the  rate  was  to  be  applied 
quarterly  on  the  basis  of  the  weight  of  such  numbers  as  had 
appeared.  The  publisher  was  required  to  deposit  with  the 
Post  Office  a  complete  copy  of  each  issue  for  the  purpose  of 
calculating  the  weight  charge. 

Financially,  the  result  of  the  rates  has  been  unsatisfactory ; 
the  amendments  of  the  proposals  of  the  postal  administration 
which  were  made  by  the  Eeichstag  could  hardly  have  had  any 
other  effect.  From  the  year  1871  to  the  year  1902  the  increase 
in  the  number  of  newspapers  was  508  per  cent.  (1871,  202f 
millions  ;  1902,  1,157  millions),  but  the  increase  in  newspaper 
postage  was  only  about  378  per  cent.  (1,760,326  M.  in  1871 
and  6,669,735  M.  in  1902) ;  and  if  the  cost  of  the  service  re- 
mained approximately  the  same  as  in  1897,  which  there  is 
little  reason  to  doubt,  the  loss  to  the  administration  was  about 
a  million  Marks. 

In  the  case  of  a  number  of  papers  a  higher  rate  of  postage 
became  payable;  but  in  the  case  of  some  of  the  expensive 
illustrated  and  scientific  publications  the  new  rate  represented 
a  considerable  reduction.  Thus,  in  one  case,  the  rate  became 
2  M.  9  pf .  instead  of  96  pf.  yearly,  while  in  another  the  rate  was 
reduced  from  7  M.  20  pf.  to  50  pf .  yearly.^ 

But  the  reduction  of  rate  did  not  represent  the  whole  dis- 
advantage.   The  greater  part  of  the  issue  of  illustrated  and 

*  Statute  of  20th  December  1899  :— 

*'  (a)  2  Pf.  fiir  jeden  Monat  der  Bezugszeit. 

•*  (6)  15  Pf.  jarlich  fiir  das  wochentlich  einmalige  oder  seltenere  Erscheinen, 
BOwie  16  Pf .  jahrlich  mehr  fiir  jede  weitere  Ausgabe  in  der  Woche. 

♦•  (c)  10  Pf.  jahrlich  fiir  jedes  Kilogramm  des  Jahresgewichts  unter  Gewahrung 
eines  Freigewichts  von  je  1  Kg.  jahrlich  fiir  soviele  Ausgaben,  wie  der  G^^iihr  zu 
(6)  unterliegen." — Article  1  (sec.  iii),  Law  of  20th  December  1899, 

?  Pr,  Artwr  Sebmi^t,  Fimm-Archwr  IW,  vpl,  33,  part  i.  p.  74, 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  GERMANY  179 

scientific  journals  and  trade  papers  had  formerly  been  distri- 
buted through  the  ordinary  channels  of  the  publishing  trade. 
Now  that  the  postage  rates  were  in  many  cases  so  largely 
reduced,  it  became  cheaper  in  those  cases  to  distribute  a 
larger  number  by  post,  and  this  course  was  naturally  adopted. 
Increase  in  the  number  sent  by  post  in  such  circumstances 
simply  resulted  in  increased  financial  loss. 

An  indication  of  the  extent  of  the  privilege  which  the  news- 
papers enjoy  as  compared  with  other  printed  matter  may  be 
obtained  by  comparing  the  revenue  which  was  actually 
obtained  from  the  newspapers  with  the  revenue  which  would 
have  been  obtained  from  the  same  number  of  packets  of 
ordinary  printed  matter  of  similar  size  and  weight.  In  1900, 
in  the  inland  service  in  Germany,  some  440  million  packets 
of  ordinary  printed  matter  were  transmitted,  and  the  postage 
on  them  amounted  to  21,133,499  M.  If  the  1,150  milhon 
newspapers  had  yielded  postage  in  the  same  proportion,  they 
would  have  brought  in  a  revenue  of  some  55  millions  of 
Marks,  whereas  in  actual  fact  they  yielded  only  some  6J 
millions.' 

The  present  rate  rests  on  the  two  grounds  of  frequency 
of  issue  and  weight  of  copies.  It  is  therefore  in  practice 
more  difficult  to  apply  than  the  former  rate  based  simply 
on  the  price,  since  the  weight  factor  is  variable  and  requires 
exact  determination  in  every  case.  Moreover,  the  Reichstag 
forbade  rounding  up  of  the  weight,  which  would  be  essential 
if  a  rate  in  even  pfennigs  were  to  be  ascertained.  The  calcula- 
tion of  the  actual  rate  must  be  carried  to  the  second  decimal 
place  in  pfennigs,  and  a  rounding  up  of  broken  pfennigs  is 
permitted  only  at  the  final  settlement  for  the  regular  subscrip- 
tion period.  This  complexity  has,  of  course,  added  largely  to 
the  cost  of  administration,  without  a  corresponding  increase 
in  revenue. 

It  is  anticipated  that  with  the  growth  of  the  newspaper 
traffic  the  loss  to  the  postal  administration  will  tend  to 
increase  rather  than  to  diminish.  There  is,  however,  no 
disposition  to  restrict  the  privilege  accorded  to  newspapers. 
The  attempt  made  by  the  administration  in  1899  to  secure 
ftO  increased  revenue  from  them  was,  as  explained,  frustrq»te^ 
^  Pr,  4ft^r  Spl^midt,  ibid.,  p.  09; 


180 


RATES   OF   POSTAGE 


by  the  Keichstag.  Since  1852  the  Post  Office  has  held  the 
monopoly  of  the  distribution  of  political  newspapers,  and  the 
general  advantage  resulting  from  such  an  effective  control 
of  the  dissemination  of  public  intelligence  no  doubt  explains 
the  continuance  of  so  favourable  and  unremunerative  a  rate.^ 


Note  on  Delivery  Fees  for  Newspapers. 

House-to-house  delivery  of  newspapers  was  introduced  in 
1828,  the  lowest  charge  (i.e.  in  addition  to  ordinary  postage) 
being  30  pf.  quarterly. 

In  1872  a  uniform  delivery  fee  was  fixed  for  town  and 
country.  For  papers  appearing  w^eekly  or  less  frequently  the 
charge  was  15  pf.,  for  papers  appearing  two  or  three  times 
weekly  25  pf.,  for  papers  appearing  four  to  seven  times  weekly 
40  pf.,  and  for  papers  appearing  more  frequently  than  seven 
times  weekly  50  pf .  quarterly.  The  system  of  charging  delivery 
fees  has  been   continued,   and    those    at    present    in    opera- 


For 
each  copy 
monthly. 

.     2pf. 

.     4pf. 

.     6p£. 

.     8pf. 

.  10  pf. 

.  12  pf. 

.  14  pf. 

.  16  pf. 

.  18  pf. 

.  20  pf. 

.  22  pf. 

.  24  pf. 

.  26  pf. 

.  28  pf. 

.  30  pf. 

.  32  pf. 

.     2  pf.' 


on 

are  : — 

* 

(a)] 

J'or  newspapers  del 

(h) 

,, 

{c) 

> 

id) 

, 

{e) 

, 

if) 

, 

(9) 

) 

{h) 

' 

)? 

() 

>» 

(m) 

, 

(n) 

> 

(0) 

1 

iP) 

, 

(2) 

> 

(r)  Foroffici 

Ekl  gazettes 

once  a  week 

twice  a  week 

thrice  a  week 

four  times  a  week 

five  times  a  week  . . 

six  or  seven  times  a  week 

eight  times  a  week 

nine  times  a  week 

ten  times  weekly  . . 

eleven  times  weekly 

twelve  to  fourteen  times  weekly 

fifteen  times  weekly 

sixteen  times  weekly 

seventeen  times  weekly   . . 

eighteen  times  weekly 


The  delivery  fees  are  collected  in  advance  for  the  complete 
subscription  period.  In  1910  the  amount  collected  for  delivery 
in  towns  was  19,604,234  M.,  and  for  delivery  in  the  country 
districts  5,770,896  M. 

'  Cf.  Dr.  Artur  Schmidt,  Finanz-Archiv,  vol.  23,  part  i.  p.  79. 
2  Allgemexne  Dienstanweisung  fur  Post  und  Telegraphies  Berlin,  1901,  Absch- 
nitt  V,  i.  pp.  69-70. 


NEWSPAPER  POST  IN  GERMANY  181 


Note  on  Special  Supplements. 

Special  advertisement  supplements  were  permitted  to  be 
sent  by  post  together  with  newspapers  by  the  order  of  30th 
September  1871.  These  supplements  in  form  or  character 
must  not  be  similar  to  the  main  newspaper.  They  must 
not  be  printed  at  the  same  office,  and  no  charge  might  be 
made  for  their  insertion.  A  special  supplement  must  not 
exceed  one  sheet  and  must  not  be  bound.  The  newspapers 
in  which  they  were  inserted  must  bear  a  notification  to  that 
effect  in  a  prominent  position.  All  copies  of  the  supplement 
must  be  submitted  to  the  Post  Office  and  the  postage  paid  in 
advance.  They  were  then  stamped  at  the  office  of  posting, 
and  if  not  posted  within  three  days  the  postage  might  be 
forfeited.     The  rate  for  each  supplement  was  j^g  sgr.' 

The  number  of  such  supplements  was  not  as  great  as  was 
anticipated,  the  chief  reason  for  which  was  that  the  postage 
was  still  too  high  and  the  regulations  too  complicated. 

In  1873  the  rate  was  reduced  to  J  pf.  for  each  copy,  with  a 
reduction  of  50  per  cent,  when  as  many  as  7,200  copies  were 
posted  at  the  same  time.  The  obligation  to  submit  all  copies 
to  the  Post  Office  for  stamping,  and  the  requirement  to  post 
them  within  three  days  thereof,  were  at  the  same  time 
removed,  and  the  simple  obligation   to  give  previous  notice 

*  Archivfilr  Postund  Telegraphie,  1880,  p.  278.  The  present  regulations  are 
as  follow: — 

'•  Ala  aussergewdhnliche  Zeitungsbeilagen  werden  solche  .  .  .  die  naoh  Form, 
Papier,  Druck  oder  aonstiger  BeschafEenheit  nicht  als  Bestandtheile  derjenigen 
Zeitung  odor  Zeitschrift  erachten  werden  konnen,  mit  welcher  die  Versendung 
erfolgen  soil. 

'•  Jede  Versendung  aussergewShnlicher  Zeitungsbeilagen  muss  von  dem  Ver- 
leger  bei  der  Verlags-Postanstalt  unter  Entrichtung  der  Gebiihr  fiir  so  viele- 
Exomplare,  als  der  Zeitung  u.  beigelegt  werden  sollen,  vorher  angemeldet  werden. 
Das  Einlogen  in  die  einzelnen  Zeitungs  u.  Exemplare  ist  Sache  des  Verlegers. 

"  Aussorgewohnlichc  Zeitungsbeilagen  diirfen  nicht  iiber  zwei  Bogen  stark, 
auch  nicht  gehef tet,  goklebt  oder  gebunden  sein ;  die  einzelnen  Bogen  miissen  in 
der  Bogenform  zusammenhangen.  Die  Postanstalten  sind  zur  Zuriickweisung 
solchor  Beilagen  befugt,  die  nach  Grosse  und  Starke  des  Papiers  oder  nach 
ihrer  sonstigen  BeschafEenheit  zur  Befordcrung  in  den  Zeitungs  packeten  nicht 
geeignet  erschoinen. 

"  Die  Gebiihr  fiir  aussergewdhnliche  Zeitungsbeilagen  betragt  ^  Pf.  fiir  je 
25  Gramm  jedes  einzelnen  Beilage-Exemplars.  Ein  bei  Berechnung  des 
Gesammt  betrags  sich  ergebender  Bruohtheil  einer  Mark  wird  nothigen  Fallen 
auf  oine  durch  5  theilbare  Pfennigsummc  aufwiirts  abgorundet." — Allgemeine 
Dieyistanweisung fiir  Post  und  Telegraphie,  Berlin,  1901,  Abschnitt  V,  i.  p.  17. 


182  RATES  OF  IPOSTAGE 

of  posting  substituted.  The  obligation  to  indicate  on  the 
newspapers  that  a  special  supplement  was  enclosed  was  also 
withdrawn. 

In  1874  the  regulations  were  further  relaxed.  Special 
supplements  were  allowed  to  be  printed  at  the  same  office 
as  the  newspaper,  and  charges  for  the  advertisement  might 
be  made.'f  The  limit  of  size  was  extended  to  two  sheets, 
at  which  it  remains.^ 

In  1900  (20th  March)  the  rate  was  changed  to  J  pf.  for 
each  25  grammes  weight  for  each  supplement.  The  number 
of  special  supplements  in  1910  was  214  millions. 

=■  Archiv  fur  Post  und  Telegraphic,  1880,  p.  279.  "  22nd  August  1874. 


Ill 
THE  RATE  FOR  PARCELS 


PARCEL  POST   IN   ENGLAND 

The  London  Penny  Post  established  by  William  Dockwra 
in  1680  was  in  some  degree  a  parcel  post,  but  throughout 
the  country  no  sort  of  parcel  post  service  existed  until  the 
introduction  of  the  regular  system  in  1883.  The  weight  limit 
for  packets  sent  by  Dockwra's  post  was  at  first  fixed  at 
1  pound,  but  it  was  afterwards  extended.^  The  Penny  Post 
was  employed  to  such  an  extent  for  the  transmission  of 
bulky  packets  and  parcels  that  delivery  was  retarded,  and  it 
was  found  necessary  to  reduce  the  number  of  such  parcels. 
The  privilege  of  sending  parcels  even  of  1  pound  weight  was 
accordingly  withdrawn  in  1765.=  The  letter  rate  charged  by 
the  ounce  was  sufficiently  high  to  restrict  effectively  the  number 
of  packets  of  large  size  entrusted  to  the  post.3  In  their 
Keport  of  1797  on  the  Post  Office,  the  Select  Committee  on 
Finance  recommended  a  reduced  rate  for  the  heavier  packets 

*  When  in  1700  Dockwra  was  dismissed  from  the  comptrollership,  one  of  the 
charges  against  him  was  that  he  forbade  the  acceptance  of  band-boxes  or  other 
parcels  over  1  pound  in  weight — to  the  great  inconvenience  of  traders  and  the 
peril  of  many  sick  folk  who  might  have  received  "  phislck  "  by  the  Penny  Post. 

»  5  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25. 

3  ••  In  1839  Sir  John  Burgoyne  wrote  to  complain  that,  for  a  packet  of  papers 
sent  to  him  at  Dublin,  which  had  been  forwarded  from  some  other  part  of  Ireland 
by  mail-coach,  as  a  letter,  instead  of  a  parcel  (i.e.  a  coach-parcel),  he  had  been 
charged  a  postage  of  £11 ;  that  is  to  say,  for  a  packet  which  he  could  easily  have 
carried  in  his  pocket,  he  was  charged  a  sum  for  which  he  could  have  engaged  the 
whole  mail-coach,  i.e.  places  for  four  inside  and  three  outside  passengers,  with 
their  portmanteaus,  carpet  bags,  etc." — The  Post  Office  of  Fifty  Years  Ago, 
London,  1890,  p.  7. 


184  HATES  OF  POSTAGE 

and  small  parcels,  in  order  to  encourage  their  transmission  by 
post,  but  the  suggestion  met  with  no  favour.^  For  many 
years  afterwards  the  official  view  was  that  it  was  desirable  to 
confine  the  post  to  light  packages,  and  that  any  increase  in 
the  number  of  heavy  packets  would  disorganize  the  service, 
which  existed  to  provide  for  the  expeditious  transmission  of 
light  letters.  Its  arrangements  had  been  made  with  this 
object,  and  to  load  it  with  a  large  number  of  heavy  packets 
would  be  subjecting  it  to  an  unfair  strain,  under  which  it  would 
inevitably  break  down.^  So  long  as  the  delivery  of  parcels  is 
provided  for  by  foot  (or  cycle)  post,  it  is  impossible  to  raise 
indefinitely  the  limit  of  weight  for  individual  parcels. 

The  establishment  of  the  Book  Post  in  1847  was,  of  course, 
a  step  in  the  direction  of  a  general  Parcel  Post.  The  Post 
Office  having  by  this  means  become  the  carrier  of  small 
parcels  containing  goods  of  a  certain  class,  the  demand  for 
a  post  for  parcels  of  any  kind  of  goods  was  inevitable.  In 
the  'sixties  there  was  considerable  agitation  for  extended 
parcel  post  facilities.  The  familiar  argument  was  advanced 
that  the  Post  Office  had  already  an  establishment  for  the 
collection  and  delivery  of  letters  in  some  twelve  thousand 
districts,  and  that  this  establishment  might  be  used,  to  the 
great  advantage  of  the  public,  to  afford  any  additional  services 
within  its  capacity  ;     that,   as   all   the   main   establishment 

»  '♦  It  has  been  suggested  that  if  the  proportional  charge  on  Letters  by  Weight 
was  more  gradual,  many  Things  which  now  pass  as  Parcels  by  the  Mails  and 
augment  the  Profit  of  the  Proprietors  would  be  sent  by  the  Post  on  Account  of 
the  superior  Safety. 

"It  is  certain  that  great  Numbers  of  small  Parcels  are  sent  by  the  Mail 
Coaches  at  an  inferior  Rate  of  Carriage,  which,  considering  this  Establishment 
as  a  Species  of  exclusive  Carrying  Trade,  must  subtract  considerably  from  its 
Bevenue."     Seventh  Report,  July,  1797  {Commons  Reports,  vol.  xii.  p.  189). 

"  E.g.,  in  1829  the  Secretary  reported :  '*  With  respect  to  the  conveyance  of 
Pamphlets  and  Periodical  Publications  by  the  Post,  Treasury  has  expressed 
itself  to  me  as  decidedly  hostile  to  any  such  infraction  of  the  carrying  Trade 
of  the  Country.  It  is  moreover  physically  impossible.  We  have  the  greatest 
difficulty  in  conveying  Letters,  Newspapers,  and  official  packets ;  many  of  the 
official  forms,  etc.,  remain  some  days  until  we  can  take  them  by  the  Mail 
Coaches."  And  in  1847,  when  Sir  Rowland  Hill  put  forward  his  proposal  for 
a  Book  Post,  Colonel  Maberley,  then  Secretary,  said  :  "  The  Post  ought  to  be 
confined  to  small  packets  as  much  as  possible  and  to  convey  large  packets  only 
when  the  necessity  is  urgent."  He  was  especially  afraid  of  the  inconvenience 
which  would  be  caused  to  foot-messengers. — British  Official  Records.  Cf.  10  & 
11  Vict.,  oap.  86,  §2. 


PARCEL  POST  IN  ENGLAND  185 

charges  were  paid — rent,  salaries,  etc. — an  additional  service 
could  be  rendered  without  adding  proportionately  to  the 
expenses.  It  was  urged  also  that  the  sample  post  rate  was 
too  high  and  was  fenced  by  troublesome  regulations  ;  that  the 
book  rate  was  also  too  high;  that  there  was  no  reason  why 
the  book  trade  should  be  favoured  ;  that  in  respect  to  the 
mass  of  the  people  the  charges  were  so  high  as  to  impose  on 
the  transmission  of  small  articles  the  same  sort  of  prohibition 
that  was  placed  on  the  transmission  of  letters  under  the  old 
postal  system ;  that  a  comprehensive  system  could  not  be 
carried  out  by  the  railways  until  the  railways  would  co- 
operate ;  that  even  if  the  railways  did  co-operate  they  had 
not  means  at  their  disposal  equal  to  those  of  the  Post  Ofi&ce ; 
that  a  parcel  post  system  was  already  in  operation  in  several 
continental  countries  ;  and  that,  in  fine,  by  the  establishment 
of  a  similar  service  in  this  country  an  immense  boon  would  be 
conferred  on  the  public. 

The  Post  Office  was,  however,  not  favourably  disposed 
towards  the  idea.  It  was  proposed  to  meet  the  agitation  to 
some  extent  by  reducing  the  rates  of  postage  on  the  heavier 
letters,  and  thus  to  carry  small  parcels  under  the  guise  of 
letters.  This  proposal  was  not,  however,  carried  through. 
In  1871  the  rates  for  letters  of  medium  weight  were  reduced, 
but  those  on  letters  above  12  ounces  were  retained  at  a  height 
which  could  only  be  regarded  as  prohibitive.' 

The  public  agitation  in  favour  of  a  parcel  post  service  con- 
tinued; and  when  in  1878  a  large  number  of  the  railway 
companies  announced  that  they  proposed  to  convey  small 
parcels  over  any  part  of  their  lines  at  low  uniform  rates, 
attention  was  called  to  the  fact  in  the  public  Press,  and 
suggestions  made  that  the  Post  Office  should  co-operate  by 
undertaking  the  delivery  of  the  parcels.  The  official  view 
was  now  somewhat  more  favourable  to  the  idea.  An  inter- 
national parcel  post  service  had  been  established  in  1880  in 
connection  with  the  Universal  Postal  Union,  and  this  fact 
had  strengthened  public  opinion  in  favour  of  a  parcel  post 
service  in  this  country.  It  was  recognized  that  such  a  service 
would  afford  undoubted  advantages  to  the  public,  especially 
in  rural  districts.     It  would  provide  facilities  which  private 

'  See  suiyra,  p.  32, 


186  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

enterprise  had  not  seen  fit  to  undertake.  It  would  provide 
a  service  reaching  to  all  parts  of  the  country,  for  which  there 
was  no  other  equally  suitable  machinery. 

The  Post  Office  could  not,  however,  in  establishing  a  parcel 
post  service,  act  as  freely  as  in  its  arrangements  for  the  conduct 
of  the  letter  service.  The  conveyance  of  the  parcels  from  place 
to  place  was  likely  to  prove  a  serious  undertaking,  and  for 
such  conveyance  the  Post  Office  was  dependent  on  the  railway 
companies.  In  the  case  of  letter  mails  the  cost  for  convey- 
ance is  a  very  minor  part  of  the  total  expenses  of  the  service, 
but  when  negotiations  with  the  railway  companies  were 
begun  it  was  soon  found  that  such  would  not  be  the  case 
with  parcel  mails.  The  companies,  regarding  the  parcel  traffic 
as  to  a  large  extent  their  own  proper  business,*  were  not 
disposed  to  agree  to  easy  terms,  and  there  was  the  further 
difficulty  that  numerous  companies  had  to  be  satisfied,  since 
it  was  desired  to  establish  the  system  under  an  agreement 
which  should  include  all  the  principal  companies.^  From  the 
first,  the  question  of  the  remuneration  of  the  companies  was 
approached  from  a  point  of  view  totally  different  from  that 
in  which  their  remuneration  for  the  ordinary  letter  mails  was 
regarded.  Letter  mails  are  conveyed  as  entities,  and  the 
company  have  never  been  concerned  with  the  number  of 
letters  enclosed  in  the  mail  or  the  amount  of  postage  paid. 
They  arrange  for  the  conveyance  of  a  given  number  of  mails, 

'  As  they  had  always  done.  "  The  Post  Office  has  recently  absolutely  entered 
into  competition  with  the  Railway  Companies.  As  carriers,  the  Companies 
derived  considerable  profit  from  parcels.  The  Post  Office,  finding  that  railways 
afford  the  means  of  carrying  any  quantity  of  bulk,  has  seen  fit  to  undertake  the 
conveyance  of  books  and  other  parcels  at  very  reduced  postal  rates.  If  the 
Post  Office  should  extend  its  operations  a  little  further,  it  must  be  brought  into 
absolute  antagonism  with  the  Companies.  Books  are  heavier  articles  than 
laces  or  muslins,  or  many  other  fabrics,  the  conveyance  of  which  enters  largely 
into  railway  receipts.  The  Post  Office  having  made  book  parcels  profitable,  may 
try  to  turn  to  account  the  conveyance  of  other,  whether  lighter  or  heavier, 
articles  of  trade.  It  might  be  thought  advisable  to  carry  a  small  valuable 
parcel  to  Aberdeen  for  2d.,  a  rate  at  which  Railway  Companies,  having  to  pay 
interest  on  capital,  certainly  cannot  hope  to  compete  with  a  department  which 
insists  on  the  right  of  travelling  on  their  roads  at  the  mere  actual  cost.  You 
will  not,  therefore,  fail  to  see  that  the  Post  Office  arrangements  may  be  carried 
to  a  point  at  which  great  injustice  would  be  done  to  Railway  Companies." — 
Robert  Stephenson  before  the  Institution  of  Civil  Engineers,  January  1856 
(S.  Smiles,  Life  of  Oeorge  Stephenson,  London,  1867,  p.  526). 

»  See  Leslie  Stephen,  Life  of  Henry  Fawcett,  London,  1885,  pp.  417-18. 


PARCEL  POST  IN  ENGLAND  187 

and  are  remunerated  accordingly.  But  with  parcels  the 
question  was  approached  as  one  for  the  determination  of 
just  remuneration  of  the  companies  for  convejang,  not  mails 
containing  parcels,  but  single  parcels.  And  the  question  to 
be  settled  was  what  proportion  of  the  postage  paid  on  the 
individual  parcels  should  go  to  the  companies.  In  view  of 
the  heavy  expenses  of  every  description  which  would  be 
incurred  and  of  the  large  number  of  heavy  letters  which 
would  be  transferred  to  the  parcel  post,  causing  a  consider- 
able reduction  of  revenue,  the  Post  Office  declined  to  accept 
less  than  half  the  total  receipts,  and  after  some  demur  the 
companies  agreed.  The  rates  of  postage  proposed  were  two 
in  number — for  parcels  not  exceeding  2  pounds  in  weight, 
6d. ;  for  parcels  not  exceeding  4  pounds  in  weight,  Is. 

Difficulties  arose  subsequently  as  to  the  amount  of  freedom 
of  action  to  be  left  to  the  Postmaster-General  and  the  dura- 
tion of  the  agreement.  The  first  proposal  was  for  an  agree- 
ment in  perpetuity,  and  the  draft  agreement  gave  the 
companies  what  was  called  a  "  partnership  interest  "  in  the 
parcel  post  business.  It  was,  however,  regarded  as  essential 
that  the  parcel  post  business  should  be  no  less  under  the 
control  of  the  Postmaster-General  than  the  existing  letter 
post,  and  that,  on  the  expiration  of  any  agreement  made  with 
the  railway  companies,  the  statutes  relating  to  the  conveyance 
of  letter  mails  by  railway  should  apply  to  parcel  mails. 

After  the  failure  of  the  first  scheme,  negotiations  with  the 
railway  companies  were  suspended,  but  the  public  agitation 
for  a  parcel  post  was  daily  gathering  strength,  and  in 
February  1882  the  Postmaster-General  again  approached  the 
companies.  The  new  proposals  were  somewhat  different 
from  those  originally  made.  A  scale  with  four  rates  (3d. 
for  1  pound,  rising  to  Is.  for  7  pounds)  was  now  suggested 
by  the  Post  Office,  largely  in  deference  to  the  strong  dis- 
position of  the  railway  companies  in  favour  of  an  increased 
number  of  rates.  The  low  initial  rate  of  3d.  for  1  pound 
was  now  proposed  on  the  ground  that  a  large  proportion  of 
the  business  to  be  done  would  be  between  the  large  towns 
and  the  rural  districts.  For  the  development  of  such 
business  a  low  initial  rate  was  essential ;  and  as  such  parcels 
would  not  be  likely  to  be  to  any  large  extent  railway  borne. 


188  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

the  Post  Office  would  obtain  almost  the  whole  of  the  proceeds 
of  the  postage.  It  was,  moreover,  now  taken  into  reckoning 
that  a  considerable  increase  in  the  number  of  letters  would 
result,  since  numerous  communications  relative  to  parcels 
posted  would  pass,  and  the  revenue  would  thus  benefit 
indirectly.  The  letter  service  would  benefit,  too,  in  other 
ways :  it  would  be  relieved  of  heavy  packages ;  and  the 
existence  of  a  parcel  post  service  would  justify  the  provision 
of  more  efficient  services  in  rural  districts.  The  rates  pro- 
posed were  in  general  very  much  higher  than  those  at  the 
time  existing  in  Germany,  France,  Switzerland,  and  Belgium, 
and  they  were  estimated  to  yield  a  profit. 

In  the  further  negotiations  serious  difficulty  was  en- 
countered on  two  points  only  :  (1)  the  proportion  of  postage 
to  be  paid  to  the  companies,  and  (2)  the  length  of  time  for 
which  the  agreement  should  be  made.  The  earlier  agree- 
ment had  been  for  an  equal  division  between  the  Post  Office 
and  the  railway  companies  of  the  postage  paid  on  all  parcels. 
It  was  now  decided  that  payment  could  only  be  made  in 
respect  of  parcels  actually  conveyed  by  railway.  The  com- 
panies thereupon  asked  a  higher  proportion.  They  anticipated 
that  parcel  post  traffic  would  be  largely  long-distance  traffic, 
involving  in  many  cases  transfers  on  the  journey ;  and  although 
they  expected  to  retain  a  good  deal  of  the  short-distance 
traffic,  they  could  only  achieve  this  by  reducing  their  rates 
generally,  especially  the  rates  for  small  parcels.  After  some 
higgling,  they  agreed  under  protest  to  accept  55  per  cent,  of 
the  postage  on  all  such  parcels  as  should  be  conveyed  by 
railway.  They  also  agreed  to  the  limitation  of  the  duration 
of  the  bargain,  and  the  term  was  fixed  at  twenty-one  years. 

The  agreement  was  embodied  in  the  Post  Office  (Parcels) 
Act  of  1882.^  The  companies  parties  to  the  arrangement 
undertook  the  service  of  conveying  the  post  parcels  from  the 
vehicles  of  the  Postmaster-General  at  the  despatching  rail- 
way station  to  the  vehicles  of  the  Postmaster-General  at 
the  station  of  destination — that  is  to  say,  they  undertook  all 
handling  of  parcel  mails  on  railway  stations  and  transfer  to 
and  from  trains  and  from  train  to  train  where  necessary — in 
consideration  of  payment  of  55  per  cent,  of  the  postage  paid 

'  46  &  46  Vict.,  cap.  74. 


PARCEL  POST  IN  ENGLAND  189 

on  all  parcels  conveyed  by  railway  for  the  whole  or  part  of 
their  journey,  the  Post  Office  being  required  to  keep  a 
record  of  the  amount  of  postage  paid  on  every  such  parcel. 
The  remuneration  was  to  be  paid  to  the  Railway  Clearing 
Committee  in  London,  by  whom  it  would  be  distributed 
between  the  various  companies.  The  agreement  was  to  con- 
tinue for  twenty-one  years,  and  thereafter  until  terminated  by 
either  party.  The  Postmaster-General  retained  the  power  of 
revising  the  rates  of  postage,  but  in  the  event  of  such  revision 
the  companies  might  claim  revision  of  the  terms  of  their  re- 
muneration (even  during  the  first  twenty-one  years).  In  any 
case,  on  the  termination  of  the  agreement,  the  statutes  govern- 
ing the  conditions  under  which  ordinary  mails  are  conveyed 
by  railway,  and  the  determination  of  the  remuneration  of 
railway  companies  in  respect  of  such  conveyance,  were  to 
apply  equally  to  the  conveyance  of  parcel  mails  by  railway. 

The  Postmaster-General  has  twice  exercised  his  right  of 
revising  the  rates  of  postage,  and  in  each  case  the  rates 
were  lowered.  The  companies  have  not  exercised  their  right 
to  ask  for  a  revision  of  the  terms  of  their  remuneration, 
and  the  provisions  of  the  Act  therefore  continue  in  opera- 
tion. In  the  first  complete  year  of  the  service  (1884-5)  the 
number  of  parcels  conveyed  was  some  23  millions.  The 
increase  in  the  traffic  has  been  large  and  constant.  In 
1912-13  the  total  number  of  parcels   exceeded  130  millions. 

The  service  affords  a  great  public  convenience,  and  the 
simplicity  of  its  rates  is  an  undoubted  boon.  The  uniform 
rate  has,  however,  proved  unsatisfactory  in  some  respects.  At 
all  points  at  which  the  traffic  would  be  profitable,  the  Post 
Office  is  open  to  the  competition  of  private  enterprise;  but 
for  that  part  of  the  traffic  for  which  the  uniform  rate  must 
inevitably  be  unprofitable  (unless  it  be  fixed  so  high  as  to 
be  exorbitant  for  short-distance  and  average-distance  traffic) 
there  will  naturally  be  no  competition.  The  number  of  local, 
or  short-distance,  parcels  is  consequently  small,  and  the 
number  of  parcels  sent  for  long  distances,  to  remote  places, 
is  comparatively  large.  No  great  use  is,  however,  made  of  the 
post  for  the  transmission  of  parcels  of  agricultural  produce 
from  rural  districts.  There  is  a  moderate  traffic  in  butter  and 
eggs  from  Ireland  to  England,  and  in  cream  from  the  West  of 


190  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

England.  Proposals  for  the  introduction  of  a  specially  low  rate 
for  agricultural  products  have  frequently  been  considered,  but 
there  are  obvious  objections  to  the  establishment  of  a  special 
rate  for  a  special  class  of  traffic.  Moreover,  for  parcels  from 
country  districts  the  present  uniform  rate  is  often  ludicrously 
low.  The  cost  of  preparing  and  packing  each  separate  small 
consignment  for  transmission  by  post  is,  however,  consider- 
able, and  only  the  affluent  are  able  to  indulge  in  that  method 
of  obtaining  food  supplies.^  The  exceptional  character  of  the 
Post  Office  traffic  in  parcels,  and  the  small  degree  in  which 
the  rates  of  charge  measure  the  utility  of  the  service  of 
transportation  which  they  cover,  are  well  illustrated  by  the 
statistics  of  the  traffic,  which  indicate  that  the  total  numbers 
are  unaffected  by  fluctuations  in  general  trade,  and  that  the 
reductions  of  the  rates  which  have  been  made  since  the 
establishment  of  the  service  have  had  no  appreciable  effect 
on  the  volume  of  traffic.^  The  actual  rates  for  the  heavier 
parcels  are  probably  more  profitable  than  the  rates  for  light 
parcels,  since  the  principle  of  degression  is  not  much  recognized 
in  the  scale  of  rates.  This  view  is  confirmed  by  the  fact  that 
the  post  is  little  used  for  heavy  parcels,  the  average  weight  of 
a  post  parcel  being  no  more  than  2'8  pounds.  It  is,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  not  improbable  that  the  parcel  post  service 
as  a  whole  is  conducted  at  heavy  loss.3 

Note. — As  a  war  measure  the  rates  were  increased  on  1st  November  1915  by 
Id.  at  each  step  in  the  scale,  and  are  now  as  follow : — 

Parcels  not  exceeding  1  lb 4d. 

Exceeding  1  lb. ,  not  exceeding  2  lb.           5d. 

2    „               „            3^,            6d. 

„        3     „               „            5  „            7d. 

„        5     „               „            7  „            8d. 

„        7     „               „            8  „            ..         ..         ..  9d. 

„        8     „               „            9  „            ..         ..         ..  lOd. 

9     „               „          10  „            lid. 

»      10    „              „          11  „            Is. 


*  Jevons  had  foreseen  that  the  rich  would  benefit ;  but  he  anticipated  a  large 
general  trafl&c  in  household  supplies.  See  W.  S.  Jevons,  "A  State  Parcel  Post," 
Contemporary  Review,  London,  1879,  p.  209. 

'  See  graphs  at  pp.  371  and  872,  infra. 

3  The  estimates  on  which  this  statement  is  b&sed  ^re  given  below  at  p.  311, 
Cf.  Leslie  Stephen,  Ioq,  cit.  p.  420. 


PARCEL    POST    IN    THE    UNITED    STATES 
OF    AMERICA 

Several  causes  operated  to  prevent  the  early  establishment 
in  the  United  States  of  a  parcel  post  system.  The  two  factors 
of  extent  of  territory  and  sparsity  of  population,  which  had 
from  the  first  so  greatly  influenced  the  policy  of  the  Govern- 
ment towards  the  Post  Office,  were  of  much  greater  importance 
in  regard  to  a  parcel  post  system.  The  weight  of  the  indi- 
vidual letter  is  very  small,  and  as  the  cost  of  transportation 
depends  in  most  cases  entirely  on  weight,  the  system  of 
uniform  rates  which  had  been  introduced  in  England  had  not 
been  found  impossible  of  adoption  in  the  United  States.  But 
with  parcels,  cost  of  transportation  is  an  appreciable  item  for 
every  parcel,  and  in  a  country  of  vast  distances  there  must  be 
an  appreciable  variation  in  the  actual  cost  for  each  parcel. 
Consequently,  any  uniform  rate  which  would  render  the  service 
self-supporting  must  be  measurably  above  the  rate  which 
would  suffice  for  local  and  short-distance  traffic,  and  measurably 
below  the  rate  which  would  be  necessary  for  long-distance 
traffic.  Private  agencies  would  therefore  cut  such  a  rate  and 
absorb  all  the  short-distance  traffic,  while  the  long-distance 
traffic  would  be  left  to  the  Post  Office,  and  would  be  carried  at 
a  loss.  This  had  been  found  to  be  the  case  with  second-class 
matter,  where  weight  is  an  important  factor,  and  also  with  the 
fourth-class  matter.  The  establishment  of  a  parcel  post  system, 
therefore,  would  involve  a  reconsideration  of  the  fundamental 
principles  on  which  the  rates  of  postage  were  in  general  based. 
The  creation,  in  1863,  of  a  third  class  of  miscellaneous 
mail  matter  I  was  virtually  the  establishment  of  a  limited 
parcel  post.  The  rate  for  third-class  matter,  2  cents  for 
§^Qh  4  Qi^nces  or  fraction  thereof,  was  increased  in  1879  tg 

'  See  p.  75,  supra. 

m 


192  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

1  cent  an  ounce.  These  rates  were  comparatively  high ;  and  as 
the  Hmit  of  weight  was  4  pounds,  the  traffic  naturally  never 
assumed  large  proportions.  With  the  establishment  in  1880 
of  an  international  parcel  post  in  which  the  United  States 
participated,  although  having  no  real  internal  parcel  post,  it 
was  inevitable  that  the  question  of  establishing  a  system  equal 
in  scope  to  those  of  other  countries  should  arise.  For  forty 
years  there  was  a  demand,  becoming  more  general  and  insis- 
tent, for  the  establishment  of  such  a  general  parcel  post. 

Active  official  support  was  first  given  to  the  proposals  for 
a  parcel  post  in  1890  and  1891  by  Postmaster-General 
Wanamaker,  who  explained  that  although  the  demand  for 
such  a  system  was  widespread,  the  greatest  pressure  came 
from  "  interior  places,"  which  were,  in  fact,  really  most  in 
need  of  it,  because  they  had  no  facilities  for  obtaining  small 
packages  of  merchandise  from  the  towns. ^  Opposition  to  any 
sort  of  parcel  post  came  then,  as  always,  from  the  express 
companies,  who,  although  not  able  or  not  desirous  of  affording 
a  service  to  all  parts,  were  much  concerned  at  the  prospect  of 
losing  traffic.  Mr.  Wanamaker  proposed  to  propitiate  them 
by  transferring  to  them  a  considerable  amount  of  traffic  deemed 
by  him  to  belong  properly  to  the  express  companies,  viz.,  traffic 
carried  by  the  Post  Office  for  the  other  Executive  departments 
free  of  charge,  under  "  penalty  frank,"  ^  and  comprising  many 
packages  of  considerable  weight  and  bulk.  Mr.  Wanamaker 
also  desired  to  put  a  stop  to  the  transmission,  as  second-class 
matter,  of  periodicals  which  were  really  ordinary  books,  by 
transferring  such  traffic  to  the  express  companies.  Although 
in  favour  of  a  full  parcel  post  system,  and  recognizing  that 
there  was  a  strong  desire  in  the  country  for  the  boon,  Mr. 
Wanamaker  was  not  prepared  to  advocate  its  immediate  estab- 
lishment. He  thought  other  reforms  should  take  precedence ; 
such  as  free-delivery  extension,  postal  telegraph,  postal  tele- 
phone, and  1  cent  postage  on  land  and  sea,  all  of  which,  except 
the  extension  of  free  delivery,  are  still  waiting  adoption. 

A  number  of  postmasters  criticized  the  suggestions  of  the 
Postmaster-General  in  1890  regarding  parcel  post,  but  most  of 

'  Annual  Reports  of  the  Postmaster-General,  Wdshington,  1890  and  1891. 
2  I.e.  under  the  Government  frank,  for  the  fraudulent  use  of  which  a  penalty 
of  $300  is  imposed. 


PARCEL  POST  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES     193 

them  had,  by  1891,  expressed  themselves  in  favour  of  a  full 
parcel  post  system,  and  according  to  Mr.  Wanamaker  the 
remainder  were  "probably  interested  express  agents."  The 
situation  was  in  some  respects  unsatisfactory.  It  was  a 
common  practice  for  business  firms  to  contract  with  express 
companies  to  carry  large  quantities  of  small  packages  at  a  rate 
per  package  just  below  the  rate  of  postage.  The  express 
companies  took  such  of  the  packages  as  they  thought  fit  to 
handle,  and  left  the  Post  Office  to  carry  the  remainder,  all 
long-distance  traffic,  and  unprofitable  both  to  the  express 
companies  and  to  the  Post  Office.  But  the  companies  were 
secured  by  their  profit  in  the  short  distances.  Naturally, 
therefore,  they  offered  strenuous  opposition  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  parcel  post.' 

With  the  establishment  of  rural  mail  delivery  there  arose  a 
new  demand  for  a  parcel  post.  Persons  living  on  the  rural 
routes  desired  to  take  advantage  of  the  new  service  for  the 
delivery  of  small  parcels  of  merchandise  of  all  kinds,  food- 
stuffs, tobacco,  dry  goods,  etc.,  which  they  would  order  from 
the  local  store-keeper  by  post  or  by  telephone.  The  rate  then 
payable  on  such  parcels  was  the  general  rate  for  fourth-class 
matter,  viz.  16  cents  a  pound,  which  for  parcels  of  goods  of 
small  intrinsic  value  was  prohibitive.  In  response  to  this 
demand,  the  first  definite  proposals  for  a  parcel  post^  were 
put  forward  by  the  department  in  1904,  when  the  establish- 
ment of  a  special  rate  of  3  cents  a  pound  was  suggested,  with 
a  maximum  limit  of  weight  of  5  pounds,  for  parcels  from  any 
distributing  office  for  rural  routes  to  any  patron  on  the  routes 
from  that  office.  Such  a  rate  "  would  be  a  great  convenience 
to  the  patrons  and  become  a  source  of  revenue  to  the  depart- 
ment." The  rate  of  3  cents  was  estimated  to  be  ample 
remuneration  in  such  cases,  because  there  would  be  no  expense 
for  railway  transportation,  and  as  it  would  be  merely  employing 
a  system   already  established,   there  would   be   no  additional 

'  *'  In  point  of  fact  there  are  but  four  strong  objections  to  the  parcels  post,  and 
they  are  the  four  great  express  companios,  who  would  be  just  as  well  off  with  an 
8-  or  11-pound  parcel  post  if  the  heavy  freight  of  the  Executive  Departments 
and  the  immense  packages  of  bogus  serial  books  that  are  now  thrown  upon  the 
mails  were  shut  out  and  turned  over  to  the  express  companies,  where  they 
belong."— Report  of  the  Postmaster- General ^  Washington,  1891,  p.  114. 

'  Ibid.,  1904,  p.  2. 

14 


194  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

expense  for  delivery  :  the  rural  carriers  could  easily  perform 
the  service.^  They  had  at  first  been  allowed  to  carry  express 
packages,  but  the  privilege  had  been  subsequently  withdrawn. 
They  were,  however,  still  authorized  by  law  to  carry  mer- 
chandise for  hire,  on  behalf  of  patrons  of  the  rural  routes,  and 
to  carry  passengers.  In  general,  their  work  for  the  Post 
Office  only  employed  them  to  the  extent ^of  30  per  cent,  of  their 
full  capacity,  and  a  large  unutilized  margin  therefore  existed. 

The  proposal  was  again  advanced  in  following  years.  Post- 
master-General Meyer  interested  himself  in  the  question,  and 
advocated  in  speeches  in  various  parts  of  the  country  the 
immediate  adoption  of  a  parcel  post  system.  In  1907  he 
suggested  the  introduction  of  a  local  parcel  post  service  ex- 
perimentally. He  made  at  this  time  numerous  treaties  with 
foreign  countries  for  parcel  post  services  between  those 
countries  and  the  United  States,  at  a  general  rate  of  12  cents 
a  pound.  The  result  was  that  parcels  could  be  posted  at 
any  town  in  the  United  States  for  transmission  to  places 
in,  say,  Europe  or  Australia,  at  the  rate  of  12  cents  a  pound, 
but  could  only  be  posted  for  transmission  to  another  town 
in  the  United  States  on  payment  of  a  rate  of  16  cents  a 
pound.  When  this  situation  was  realized,  there  was  naturally 
a  good  deal  of  irritation,  and  the  existence  of  such  an  anomaly 
was  made  an  argument  for  a  domestic  service.^ 

The  preferential  rate  obtained  by  parcels  going  abroad 
continued  to  be  a  strong  argument  in  favour  of  a  general 
parcel  post,  and  members  of  Congress  constantly  referred  to 
it  in  the  discussions  on  the  subject. 

There  was,  moreover,  and  still  is,  an  important  body  of 
opinion  which  goes  much  further  than  the  advocacy  of  a 
parcel  post  system.  In  that  view,  the  express  companies  are 
the  enemy  or,  at  any  rate,  the  oppressive  character  of  the 
express  rates  is  viewed  so  seriously  that  no  solution  of  the 
present  difficulties  of  the  country,  and  especially  of  the  ''  high 
cost  of  living  "  problem,  is  thought  possible  short  of  a  complete 

»  Of.  supra,  p.  127,  note  2. 

2  "  When  the  British  ^Government  can  secure  better  mail  facilities  in  the 
United  States  for  the  English  people  than  Uncle  Sam  can  secure  in  this  country 
for  our  own  people,  it  is  time  that  somebody  be  heard  from," — Mr,  Hartjcanft, 
Secretary  of  the  Postal  Progress  League  of  California, 


PARCEL  POST   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES      195 

express  service  run  by  the  general  Government.  Relief  will 
only  be  found  under  some  system  which  will  bring  the 
producer  of  the  necessaries  of  life  into  direct  relationship 
with  the  consumer,^  in  order  that  the  enormous  middleman's 
charges  be  eliminated  and  the  consumer  obtain  the  produce 
at  a  price  not  greatly  above  the  actual  cost  of  production.  The 
railways  refuse  to  handle  shipments  less  than  100  pounds,  and 
their  minimum  charge  is  25  cents.  The  ordinary  consumer 
who  requires  consignments  of  much  less  than  100  pounds' 
weight  has  no  use  for  such  a  service.  For  shipments  of  less 
weight,  the  only  service  available  is  the  express  service,  the 
minimum^  rate  for  which,  in  general  25  cents,  is  too  great  for 
farm  products,  which  are  usually  of  low  value  and  could  not 
bear  a  rate  of  25  cents.  The  express  service,  which  is  re- 
stricted to  the  railway  system,  has,  moreover,  no  means  of 
reaching  that  vast  body  of  the  people,  estimated  at  some 
40,000,000,  who  are  living  on  the  farms,  and  who  alone  are 
able  to  supply  the  desired  traffic  in  food-stuffs.  The  Govern- 
ment has  in  recent  years,  at  heavy  expense,  extended  to  some 
20  millions  of  people  the  benefits  of  free  mail  delivery,  and 
the  intention  of  the  advocates  of  a  Government  express  service, 
a  "  postal  express,"  is  that  the  State  should  take  over  the 
express  companies,  paying  them  fair  compensation  for  their 
property,  and  work  their  service  in  conjunction  with  the  rural 
mail  dehvery.  By  this  means  an  extensive  service  could  be 
provided  at  reasonable  rates  of  charge. ^ 

In  February  1908  Bills  were  introduced  in  the  Senate  to 
increase  the  limit  of  weight  of  fourth-class  matter,  and  to 
provide  a  rural  delivery  parcel  post  for  merchandise  and  other 
articles  mailed  on  rural  delivery  routes.  Legislation  did  not, 
however,  result. 

Meantime,  the  feeling  in  favour  of  a  parcel  post  was 
spreading,  more  especially  in  the  farming  districts.  In 
November  1911  a  Sab-Committee  of  the  Senate  Committee 
on  Post   Offices  and  Post  Roads  was  appointed  to  examine 

'  "  The  difficulty  now  lies  in  the  absence  of  a  connected  transportation  conduit, 
which  will  receive  the  small  shipment  at  the  farm  and  convey  it,  like  a  letter, 
direct  to  the  consumer." — Hon,  David  J,  LqwIs,  FqsU^I  Express,  1912,  G2ud 
Congress,  2nd  Sess.,  Doc.  No,  379,  p.  5, 

'  Ibid. 


196  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

the  practicability  of  establishing  a  parcel  post  system.     The 
Sub-Committee  was  appointed  on  a  resolution  of  the  Senate, 
moved  by  Senator  Jonathan  Bourne,  Jr.,  the  Chairman  of  the 
Senate  Committee  on  Post  Offices  and  Post  Eoads,  and  there 
is  indication  that   the  adoption  of   the   system   had  already 
been  practically  decided  upon,   the  real  question  before  the 
Sub-Committee  being  that  of  its  practicability  as  an  immediate 
proposition.     The    Post    Office    representatives    advocated   a 
limited  experimental    introduction  of    parcel    post   on  rural 
routes  and  in  the  city  delivery  offices.     They  were  impressed 
with  the  radical  differences  between  the  United  States  and 
most  other  countries  where  parcel  post  was  in  operation,  and 
hesitated  to  recommend  the  introduction  of  a  general  service. 
But  the  members   of  the   Sub-Committee  had  in  mind  to 
introduce  as  soon  as  practicable  a  complete  system  by  the 
method  of  enlarging  the  scope   of    the  fourth-class  regula- 
tions and  reducing  the  rates  of  postage.     Numerous  witnesses 
appeared   before    the   Sub-Committee,    representing    general 
societies  of  business  men,  such  as  the  National  Dairy  Union, 
the  Associated  Retailers   of   St.  Louis,    Mo.,  and  the  Retail 
Dry  Goods  Association  of  New  York ;    educational  or  social 
societies,   such  as    the    American    Library    Association,   the 
Postal  Progress  League,  and  the  Knights  of  Labour ;  farmers' 
societies,  such  as  the  State  Granges  and  the  Farmers'  Edu- 
cational and  Co-operative  Union  of  America.     Several  farmers, 
lawyers,   and  other  gentlemen  appeared   to   give   their  own 
personal    views.      The    chief    opposition    to    the  parcel-post 
came  from  the  representatives   of   the  retailers,  who  stand 
in  constant  fear  of  losing   their  business   to  the  mail-order 
or  catalogue  houses.     The  business  of  these  houses  is  very 
large,   amounting  in  the   aggregate    to   nearly   $200,000,000 
per  annum,  and  there  is  perhaps  some  reason  for  the  local 
merchants'  apprehensions.     The  bulk  of  the  mail-order  traffic 
is,  however,  distributed  as  freight.    But  the  country  merchants 
were  much  alarmed,  and  there  were  doleful  prophecies  of  the 
results  of  a  parcel  post.     The  local  merchant  was  represented 
as  the  mainstay  of  the  country-si^e.     He  it  was  who  sustained 
the  country  town,  which  afforded  so  valuable  a  local  market 
for  the  farmer.     He  it  was  to  whom  alone  that  same  farmer 
could  look  for  credit  to  tide  him  over  bad  times.     He  it  was 


PARCEL  POST  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES      197 

who  made  the  country  town  a  social  centre  where  the  farmer 
might  come  into  touch  with  civilization  and  refinement. 
And  on  the  continuance  of  the  prosperity  of  the  country 
merchant  depended  the  continuance  of  the  army  of  travel- 
ling salesmen,  without  whose  patronage  railroads  would  be 
driven  to  reduce  the  number  of  trains,  hotels  would  go  out 
of  business,  and  throughout  the  country  accommodation  for 
travellers  would  be  found  extremely  poor.  In  short,  parcel  post 
would  reduce  the  country  merchant  to  the  same  condition  as 
the  small  shopkeeper  in  Europe ;  and  the  country  towns 
would  become  mere  hamlets  and  deserted  villages.^ 

The  parcel  post  was,  of  course,  as  likely  in  1912  to  prove 
a  blow  to  the  express  companies  as  in  the  earlier  years  when 
they  had  so  strongly  resisted  any  proposal  for  its  introduction. 
In  face,  however,  of  the  strong  and  widespread  movement  in 
the  country  in  its  favour,  they  realized  that  they  would  be 
unable  always  successfully  to  resist  its  establishment,  and  no 
open  opposition  to  the  proposals  of  1912  was  encountered  from 
them.    They  did  not  appear  before  the  Senate  Sub-Committee. 

The  Sub-Committee  saw  no  insuperable  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  introducing  a  general  system  at  once.  Moreover,  they 
were  impressed  by  the  fact  that  a  parcel  post  system  was 
in  operation  in  most  other  countries  of  the  world,  even  in 
Australia,  a  country  slightly  larger  in  area  than  the  United 
States  and  much  more  sparsely  populated,  where  the  two 
factors  which  so  radically  distinguished  the  United  States 
from  most  other  countries  in  which  a  parcel  post  had  been 
established  were  met  with  in  even  greater  degree. 

When  the  questions  of  the  desirability  and  practicability  of 
establishing  a  system  had  been  decided,  there  still  remained 
the  difficult  and  important  question  of  the  scheme  of  rates  of 
charge  on  which  the  system  should  be  based.     Some  of  the 

*  Mr.  S.  Norvell  :  "  I  found  the  conditions  in  Europe  very  much  worse  than  I 
had  anticipated.  I  found  the  way  the  people  lived  was  entirely  different  from 
what  I  had  anticipated,  and  no  man  who  has  simply  lived  in  this  country  and 
has  read  in  a  general  way  about  the  conditions  in  Europe  can  appreciate  how  the 
people  live  in  Europe  without  going  among  thorn  and  studying  the  subject. 
The  business  of  Europe,  while  in  the  aggregate,  of  course,  it  is  very  large,  as  a 
matter  of  fact  is  a  peanut  business." — Hearings  before  the  Sub-Committee  on 
Parcel  Post,  Washington,  1912,  vol.  ii.  p.  49G.  Cf.  Address  at  Atlantic  City,  N.J., 
ICth  November  1911. 


198  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

witnesses  before  the  Sub-Committee  advocated  a  uniform  rate, 
representing  that  a  graduated  rate  was  undesirable  and  would 
be  unacceptable,  as  giving  a  special  privilege  to  certain  sec- 
tions of  the  people.  A  more  general  opinion  was  that  a  flat 
rate  would  be  unsound  economically.  With  such  a  rate,  the 
express  companies  would  step  in  and  take  all  the  profitable 
traffic ;  and  it  would,  moreover,  be  necessary  to  fix  the  rate 
so  high  as  to  render  it  prohibitive  for  goods  of  low  value  and 
for  the  purpose  of  moving  traffic  on  the  rural  routes.  In  a 
country  of  vast  extent  the  actual  cost  to  the  Government  for 
the  transportation  of  parcels  of  the  same  weight  would  differ 
widely  in  proportion  to  the  distance  for  which  they  were 
conveyed  in  the  mails,  and  the  differences  would  be  sufficiently 
great  to  render  it  easily  possible  to  graduate  a  scale  of  postage 
approximately  in  accordance  with  the  distance  and  the  actual 
cost.  The  department  estimated  the  cost  of  transportation 
for  mail  matter  to  be  1-32  cents  for  each  200  miles,  and 
taking  this  as  a  basis,  differential  rates  in  respect  of  trans- 
portation were  arrived  at  for  a  series  of  zones. 

The  charge  for  handHng,  i.e.  for  collection,  delivery,  admin- 
istrative and  all  other  incidental  services,  was  calculated  as 
an  altogether  separate  item.  The  Sub-Committee  had  the 
evidence  of  Mr.  John  L.  Newbold,  a  gentleman  of  long  ex- 
perience in  a  transport  business  which  dealt  mainly  with  small 
parcels  for  deHvery  within  the  limits  of  the  City  of  Washing- 
ton, and  was  therefore  in  a  high  degree  comparable  to  delivery 
service  which  would  be  performed  by  the  Post  Office  in  respect 
of  parcels.  Mr.  Newbold  offered  to  contract  with  the  Govern- 
ment to  handle  all  post  parcels  for  delivery  within  the  City 
of  Washington  at  5  cents  a  parcel,  with  a  limit  of  weight  of 
25  pounds.  Estimates  by  similar  delivery  companies  in  New 
York  City  indicated  the  cost  to  them  of  packages  up  to 
25  pounds,  which  was  a  little  over  5  cents  per  package.  The 
department's  estimate  of  the  handling  cost  of  fourth- class 
matter  showed  a  cost  of  a  fraction  under  3  cents  for  the  first 
pound,  with  an  approximate  increase  of  20  per  cent,  for  each 
additional  pound. 

These  data  furnished  a  basis  for  calculating  rates  of  postage, 
when  the  limitation  of  the  zones  had  been  determined,  a 
matter  of  some  little  difficulty.     The  first,  and  most  obvious, 


PARCEL  POST  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES      199 

suggestion  was  that  the  zones  should  be  reckoned  as  from  each 
post  ofi&ce,  but  in  view  of  the  fact  that  there  were  some 
60,000  post  offices  in  the  United  States,  grave  practical 
difficulties  would  arise  with  a  scheme  providing  for  special 
rates  from  each  post  office.  It  was  then  thought  the  State 
might  be  adopted  as  the  unit  of  area,  but  the  States  differ  so 
widely  in  area  that  such  a  system  would  have  resulted  in- 
equitably, giving  equal  postage  charges  for  very  unequal 
services.  A  citizen  in  Texas  or  New  York  State,  for  example, 
would  be  able  to  send  his  parcel  many  times  as  far  as  a  citizen 
of  Massachusetts  or  Delaware.  The  same  objection  applied, 
though  not  in  so  great  degree,  to  the  county  as  a  unit  of  area. 
Moreover,  these  units  would  be  liable  to  arbitrary  change. 
Failing  the  discovery  of  any  satisfactory  unit  based  on  the 
political  divisions,  recourse  was  had  to  purely  theoretical 
divisions,  based  on  the  imaginary  lines  of  latitude  and  longi- 
tude. The  actual  degree  parallels  were  rejected  as  the 
limits  of  the  units  of  area  because,  within  the  quadrangle 
formed  by  them,  there  would  be  a  maximum  zone  distance 
of  some  80  miles;  while  at  the  same  time,  for  transmission 
between  two  places  perhaps  only  two  miles  apart  but  lying 
on  different  sides  of  the  line,  postage  would  be  chargeable 
as  for  the  second  zone.  This  difficulty  was  overcome  by  an 
ingenious  suggestion,  which  emanated  from  the  department, 
to  divide  the  degree  quadrangles  in  four,  that  is,  into  squares 
of  30  minutes  dimension,  and  to  allow  the  sending  of  parcels 
at  the  first  zone  rate  from  or  to  places  in  every  contiguous 
quadrangle. 

Under  this  method,  which  was  adopted,  the  United  States 
is  divided  into  3,500  units  of  area,  which  are  definite,  never- 
changing,  and  practically  uniform  in  size,  the  slight  difference 
in  area  depending  on  the  distance  from  the  Equator  being 
negligible.  Each  unit  is  given  an  index  number,  and  all  post 
offices  in  the  unit  have  the  same  index  number.  Each  unit 
has  its  own  zone  limits,  which  apply  equally  to  every  office  in 
the  unit.  So  that  in  order  to  discover  for  what  zone  postage 
is  to  be  charged  between  two  places,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
ascertain  what  are  the  zone  limits  for  the  units  of  area  in 
which  the  places  are  respectively  situated.  A  simple  reference 
to   a  guide   showing  in  what  unit  of  area  the  post  office  of 


200  RATEIS  OF  POSTAGE! 

destination  falls,  and  a  consultation  of  the  zone  map  of  the 
office  at  which  the  packet  is  posted,  that  is,  a  map  showing 
the  boundaries  of  each  zone  measured  from  the  unit  of  area  in 
which  the  office  is  situated  as  centre,  gives  in  a  very  short 
space  of  time  the  rate  applicable  to  the  parcel. 

A  simplification  of  rates  and  regulations  is  always  attended 
by  a  diminution  of  the  difficulties  of  administration,  by 
economy  of  actual  working,  and  by  convenience  to  the  public. 
In  connection  with  the  proposed  parcel  post  the  department, 
with  these  objects  in  view,  suggested  the  abolition  of  the 
separate  class  for  printed  matter,  and  its  amalgamation  with 
the  parcel  post  matter,  thus  reducing  the  number  of  classes 
of  mail  matter  to  three.  The  Chairman  of  the  Senate  Sub- 
Committee  adopted  this  suggestion,  and  embodied  it  in  the 
Bill  which  he  prepared  and  introduced  in  the  Senate  on  the 
16th  May  1912,  retaining,  however,  a  rate  of  1  cent  per 
ounce  up  to  4  ounces,  in  order  to  provide  for  circular  matter 
which,  under  the  third-class  rate,  passed  at  1  cent  for  2  ounces. 
This  was  apparently  a  doubling  of  the  rate,  but  as  the  average 
weight  of  circulars  is  under  1  ounce,  in  actual  practice  the 
great  bulk  of  them  would  continue  to  pass  at  1  cent.  This 
provision  would,  however,  raise  the  rate  on  all  catalogues  and 
circulars  weighing  more  than  1  ounce;  and  although  90  per 
cent,  of  the  number  of  pieces  of  third-class  matter  actually 
posted  are  under  4  ounces  in  weight  and  would  have  fallen 
under  the  proposed  special  rate,  and  50  per  cent,  are  under 
1  ounce  in  weight  and  would  have  passed  for  the  same  amount 
as  under  the  existing  third-class  rate,  viz.  1  cent,  this  pro- 
vision of  the  Bill  was  strenuously  opposed  by  printers  and 
catalogue  houses.  Not  regarding  the  consolidation  of  the  two 
classes  as  in  any  way  essential  to  the  establishment  of  a 
parcel  post  system,  the  Senate  Committee  on  Post  Offices  and 
Post  Eoads,  when  they  came  to  consider  the  Bill,  decided  to 
eliminate  that  feature. 

In  general  this  Bill  represented  the  conclusions  of  the 
Sub-Committee,  and,  apart  from  the  foregoing  change,  was 
substantially  accepted  by  the  Senate  Committee.  The  only 
other  amendments  made  were  an  increase  of  the  number  of 
zones  from  six  to  eight,  with  the  view  of  "  protecting  the  local 
merchant  in  the  field  of  his  business,"  and  a  slight  raising  of 


PARCEL  POST  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES     201 

the  rates  for  the  shorter  distances,  partly  from  a  fear  that  the 
rates  proposed  in  the  Bill  would  not  be  self-sustaining,  and 
partly  from  a  desire  further  to  protect  the  local  retail  merchant 
against  the  catalogue  houses. 

The  essential  provisions  of  the  Bill,  as  thus  amended,  were 
embodied  in  the  Post  Office  Appropriation  Bill  for  the  fiscal 
year  1913,  were  accepted  by  Congress,  and  became  law  on  the 
24th  August  1912.  The  actual  zones  and  rates  fixed  were  as 
follows  : — 

First  zone :  All  territory  within  quadrangle  or  unit  of  area  and  every  con- 
tiguous quadrangle. 

Second  zone :  All  units  of  area  outside  the  first  zone  within  a  radius  of, 
approximately,  150  miles  from  the  centre  of  a  given  unit  of  area. 

Third  zone  :  The  same  within  a  radius  of,  approximately,  300  miles. 

Fourth  zone :  The  same  within  a  radius  of,  approximately,  600  miles. 

Fifth  zone  :  The  same  within  a  radius  of,  approximately,  1,000  miles. 

Sixth  zone  :  The  same  within  a  radius  of,  approximately,  1,400  miles. 

Seventh  zone :  The  same  within  a  radius  of,  approximately,  1,800  miles. 

Eighth  zone :  All  units  of  area  outside  the  seventh  zone. 

The  rates  were: — 

On  rural  route  :  5  cents  for  the  first  pound  or  fraction  of  a  pound,  and  1  cent 
for  each  additional  pound  or  fraction  of  a  pound. 

Each  additional 
First  Pound.  Pound. 

First  zone 5  cents.  3  cents. 

Second  zone G      „  4      ,, 

Third  zone 7      ,,  5      „ 

Fourth  zone 8      „  6      ,, 

Fifth  zone 9      „  7      „ 

Sixth  zone 10      ,,  9      „ 

Seventh  zone  11      »,  10      „ 

Eighth  zone 12     „  12      „ 

Although,  of  course,  with  the  body  of  the  people  the  main 
arguments  had  been  the  ordinary  contentions  of  the  advantage 
of  such  a  system  as  providing  a  most  convenient  facility  for 
persons  in  all  parts  of  the  States,  and  especially  in  the  rural 
districts,  whereby  they  would  be  able  by  the  utilization  of 
existing  machinery  to  have  articles  of  all  descriptions  brought 
to  their  doors,  yet  in  Congress  the  argument  was  largely  based 
on  the  possibility  of  finding  in  the  parcel  post  a  means  of 
reducing  the  **  high  cost  of  living,"  a  problem  which  is  giving 
much  anxiety  to  politicians  in  America.  By  means  of  the 
parcel  post,  producer  and  consumer   are  to  be  brought   into 


202  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

direct  relations  the  one  with  the  other.  All  middlemen  and 
their  profits  will  be  eliminated,  and  either  the  producer  will 
get  more  for  his  products  or  the  consumer  will  pay  less — 
which  of  these  will  happen  does  not  appear  :  probably  in  some 
degree  both  are  hoped  for. 

The  experience  of  England  may  not  be  any  indication  of 
what  will  happen  in  America.  But  it  is  certain  that  in 
England  the  produce  sent  direct  from  farm  to  consumer, 
whether  eggs,  butter,  or  poultry,  is  not  obtained  by  the 
consumer  at  less  cost  than  he  could  buy  it  in  his  own  town. 
There  is  an  advantage,  but  it  rests  solely  in  quality.  The 
products  obtained  from  the  farm  are  more  fresh,  are  probably 
better  altogether,  but  the  price  is  not  less.  In  England  these 
considerations  have  been  sufficient  to  prevent  the  wholesale 
use  of  the  parcel  post  for  food-stuffs.  It  is,  in  fact,  in  general 
used  for  such  traffic  only  by  those  people  to  whom  a  little 
extra  expense  is  not  an  object  of  consideration.  The  con- 
ditions in  America  seem,  however,  to  be  substantially  different 
from  those  in  this  country,  and  a  large  development  of  parcel 
post  business  of  this  character  is  anticipated.^ 

On  the  15th  August  1913  the  limit  of  weight  was  increased 
to  20  pounds  in  the  local,  first,  and  second  zones;  and  on 
1st  January  1914  the  limit  in  local,  first,  and  second  zones  was 
further  increased  to  60  pounds,  and  in  the  remainder  of  the 
zones  to  20  pounds.  On  the  16th  March  1914  books  and 
printed  matter  were  admitted  to  the  fourth  class,  or  parcel 
post,  with  a  rate  of  postage  of  1  cent  for  each  2  ounces  up 
to  8  ounces,  the  ordinary  parcel  post  pound  rates  to  apply  to 
packets  exceeding  8  ounces  in  weight. 

*  "  The  department  believed  and  still  believes  that  the  parcel  post,  in  time, 
will  become  an  important  factor  in  improving  and  cheapening  the  food  supply  of 
the  great  cities.  Hence,  on  March  25,  1914,  twelve  of  the  large  post  offices  were 
designated  for  special  test  of  a  farm-to-city  service.  Farmers  were  invited  to 
register  their  names  and'  designate  the  commodities  they  desired  to  sell.  Lists 
of  farmers  and  of  the  articles  each  offered  were  then  printed  and  distributed  by 
the  carrier  force.  The  results  exceeded  expectations  ;  shipments  of  country 
products  at  the  twelve  offices  named  so  materially  increased  that  now  eighteen 
additional  offices  have  been  named  for  similar  exploitation  of  the  farm-to-city 
service.  The  department's  preliminary  experience  warrants  the  conclusion  that 
direct  shipment  of  food  products  that  are  consumed  substantially  in  the  same 
form  in  which  they  are  produced  offers  practical  possibilities  of  reducing  the  cost 
of  living."— Report  of  Postmaster-QeTieral,  Washington,  1913-14,  p.  12. 


PARCEL   POST   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES     203 

The  service,  as  a  whole,  has  been  enormously  successful.  It 
is  estimated  that  in  the  second  year  the  post  office  was  handling 
parcels  at  the  rate  of  800,000,000  annually,  a  figure  which  may 
be  compared  to  its  advantage  with  that  for  the  United  King- 
dom. In  the  United  Kingdom  the  annual  number  of  parcels 
posted  is  some  130,000,000,  say  three  per  head  of  the  total 
population  as  compared  with  eight  per  head  in  the  new  service 
in  the  United  States. 


PARCEL    POST    IN    FRANCE 

The  conveyance  of  parcels  of  merchandise,  which  had  been 
undertaken  by  the  early  posts  in  France,  was  abandoned  to 
private  enterprise  in  1795.^     When,  therefore,  proposals  were 
made  for  the  establishment  of   an  international  parcel  post 
service,  France  was  without  an  internal  service  of  the  kind. 
She  became,  nevertheless,  a  party  to  the  Convention  of  1880, 
which  established  an  international   service,^  availing  herself 
of  the  privilege  reserved  to  those  countries  without  an  inland 
parcel  post  service,  of  arranging  for  their  obligations  under 
the  terms  of  the  Convention  to  be  assumed  by  railway  and 
steamship  companies.     A   contract   was   concluded  with  the 
administration  of  the  State   railways,  the  six  great  railway 
companies,  and  the  shipping  companies  in  receipt  of  subsidies 
for  the  conveyance  of  mails,  under  which  those  bodies  under- 
took to  conduct  a  service  on  behalf  of  the  postal  administra- 
tion in  accordance  with  the  provisions   of  the   Convention. 
They  were  to  receive  in  its  entirety  the  prescribed  territorial 
transit  rate  of  50  centimes  on  every  parcel,  but  not  the  surtax 
of  25  centimes.3     The  payment  of  50  centimes  per  parcel  was 
to  be  divided  by  the  companies  among  themselves  if  the  parcel 
was  conveyed  by  more  than  one  party,  and  constituted  the 
full  remuneration  for  the  entire  service  performed,  including 
the  customs  formalities.      The   contracting    companies  were 
required  to  print  at  their  own  cost  a  list  of  places  served,  and 
to  keep  the  list  available  for  reference  by  members  of   the 
public. 

The  establishment  of  an  international  service  of  this  kind 
necessitated  the  provision  of  facilities  for  the  transmission  of 

*  Law  of  9  vend^miaire,  an  VI.  ^  Vide  infra,  p.  279. 

3  Art.  5  §  2,  Convention  of  1880. 


PARCEL  POST  IN   FRANCE  205 

ordinary  inland  parcels  within  France.^  The  companies  were 
accordingly  required  to  undertake  also  the  transportation  of 
inland  parcels  upon  their  railways  and  the  delivery  of  inland 
parcels  in  localities  adjoining  their  lines  under  the  same  con- 
ditions and  for  the  same  remuneration  as  in  the  case  of  parcels 
in  the  international  service.  A  difficulty  existed  in  the  fact 
that  small  parcel  traffic  {Venvois  par  messagerie)  was  subject 
to  special  taxation.^  These  taxes  frequently  exceeded  the 
charge  for  transmission,  and  in  some  cases  the  value  of  the 
parcel  itself.  In  order  to  encourage  the  use  of  the  service, 
these  taxes  were  reduced  or  modified  by  a  series  of  laws  at  a 
sacrifice  of  revenue  exceeding  two  and  a  half  million  francs 
a  year.  The  service,  which  was  established  on  the  1st  May 
1881,  did  not  include  the  whole  of  France,  but  extended  only 
to  localities  served  by  the  State  railways,  the  six  contracting 
companies,  and  certain  subsidiary  companies  which  contracted 
for  the  business  with  the  larger  companies.  The  maximum 
limit  of  weight  was  fixed  at  3  kilogrammes,  and  the  rates  of 
postage  were  60  centimes  for  parcels  transported  from  railway 
station  to  railway  station,  and  85  centimes  for  parcels  delivered 
at  the  residence  of  the  addressee.  The  service  became  imme- 
diately popular,  the  number  of  parcels  posted  during  1881  being 
at  the  rate  of  over  half  a  million  a  month. 

Soon  after  its  establishment  the  service  was  extended  to 
the  smaller  subsidiary  lines,  and  to  districts  not  served  by 
railway.  The  latter  extension,  which  it  was  not  found  easy 
to  arrange,  was  provided  for  by  introducing  into  the  contracts 
for  the  conveyance  of  the  ordinary  mails  in  those  districts  a 
clause  empowering  the  administration  to  require  the  contractor 
to  convey  post  parcels  for  a  remuneration  of  15  centimes  per 

*  "  En  obtenant  ainsi  lo  concours  dos  compagnies  pour  lo  transport  dos  colis 
internationaux,  M.  lo  Ministre  devait  (^videmmont  6tre  frapp^  des  conditions 
dans  iGsquellos  allait  so  trouvor  la  circulation  des  colis  k  I'interieur.  Tandis  que 
les  premiers  circuleraient  en  France  avec  la  plus  grande  facility  a  un  prix  forte 
reduit,  notre  commerce  intdrieur  non  seulement  oontinuerait  a  payer  des  taxes 
do  transport  relativement  61ev^es,  mais  encore  resterait  assujetti  k  tons  les 
inconv^nients  qui  resultent  de  la  multiplicite  des  taxes  et  du  manque  d'entente 
entre  les  compagnies." — Journal  Officiel  de  la  Ripublique  frangaise,  27  Janvier, 
1881,  p.  474. 

'  (1)  La  taxe  sur  la  grande  vitesse  ;  (2)  I'impdt  du  timbre ;  (3)  la  taxe  de 
plombage;  (4)  le  droit  de  statistique. 


206 


RATES   OF  POSTAGE 


parcel — the  amount  to  be  increased  to  25  centimes  for  parcels 
delivered  at  residence. 

The  Lisbon  Congress  (1885)  raised  the  limit  of  weight  in  the 
international  service  from  3  kilogrammes  to  5  kilogrammes, 
but  a  corresponding  increase  was  not  made  in  the  internal 
French  service  until  1892.  The  maximum  limit  of  weight 
was  raised  to  10  kilogrammes  in  1897,  and  the  following  rates 
of  postage  are  now  in  operation : — 


Weight. 

Delivered  at 
Railway  Station. 

Delivered  at 

Residence  or 

Poste  Restante. 

Not  exceeding  3  kg.   . . 

3-5kg 

5-10  kg 

fr. 
0-60 
0-80 
1-25 

fr. 
0-85 
1-05 
1-50' 

Cumbersome  parcels  are  charged  rates  50  per  cent,  greater 
than  the  ordinary  rates.^  Parcels  redirected  or  returned  to 
sender  are  subject  to  an  additional  rate  of  postage,  and  to  a 
tax  (droit  de  timbre)  of  10  centimes.3 

Parcels  for  despatch  are  accepted  only  at  the  railway  stations 
or  offices  of  the  companies  or  by  their  agents.  They  are 
delivered  at  the  stations  of  the  companies  or  at  their  offices 
in  towns  or  at  the  offices  of  their  agents,  to  be  called  for, 
or  they  are  delivered  at  residence;  but  the  latter  service  is 
undertaken  only  when  a  delivery  service  organized  by  the 
companies,  or  their  agents,  for  their  own  purposes  already 
exists. 

Parcels  are  accepted  for  localities  not  served  directly  by  the 
contracting  companies,  but  such  parcels  are  conveyed  only  to 
the  point  served  by  railway  nearest  to  the  place  of  destination. 
It  is  left  to  the  public  to  provide  for  their  further  transmission. 
In  the  case  of  parcels  delivered  only  at  the  railway  station,  an 
advice  of  delivery  is  sent  to  the  addressee  by  the  company  or 
their  agents  within  twenty-four  hours  of  the  receipt  of  the 

*  Tarifpour  le  Transport  des  Colis  Postaux,  Paris,  1913,  p.  38. 

=  "  Sont  consid^r^s  comme  encombrants  :  les  colis  d^passant  1  m.  50  dans  un 
sens  quelconque  ;  les  colis  qui,  par  leur  forme,  leur  volume  ou  leur  fragilite,  ne 
se  pretent  pas  facilement  au  chargement  avec  d'autres  colis,  ou  qui  demandent 
des  precautions  speciales." — Ibid.,  p.  6, 

3  Ibid.,  p.  17. 


PARCEL   POST  IN   FRANCE  207 

parcel.  This  advice  is  sent  by  post,  and  the  postage,  5  cen- 
times, is  recovered  from  the  addressee.  If  parcels  are  not 
called  for  within  eight  days,  the  sender  is  asked  to  give 
instructions  regarding  their  disposal. 

The  control  of  the  service  in  districts  served  by  railway  rests 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  railway  companies.  The  postal 
administration  takes  no  part  directly  in  its  management,  but 
co-operates  with  the  companies  by  affording  certain  small 
facilities  in  regard  to  parcels.  For  example,  on  payment  of 
the  usual  delivery  fee  of  25  centimes  a  parcel  may  be  delivered 
from  the  railway  station  to  the  local  post  office,  where  it  will 
be  retained  in  the  poste  restante.  In  districts  not  reached  by 
the  railway  or  their  agents,  the  management  of  the  service 
falls  on  the  postal  administration.  The  service  in  such  dis- 
tricts is,  however,  far  from  complete.  There  are  in  France 
some  36,000  communes,  but  the  parcel  post  service  extends 
only  to  some  12,000  railway  stations,  and  only  at  about  one- 
half  of  these  can  parcels  be  delivered  at  the  residence  of  the 
addressee.^  To  a  limited  extent  a  service  is  given  in  certain 
localities  not  directly  served  by  railway.  In  these  cases,  which 
are  arranged  only  with  the  concurrence  of  the  companies, 
the  service  is  conducted  by  the  ordinary  road  carriers. ^ 
The  extension  of  the  service  in  the  rural  districts  is  one  of 
the  problems  which  face  the  postal  administration. 3 

A  local  parcel  post  service  was  established  in  Paris  in  1881 
by  arrangement  with  the  Compagnie  des  Messageries  Natio- 
nales,  but  it  did  not  prove  profitable,  and  was  discontinued  in 

»  Rapport  portant  fixation  du  Budget  g^neraUf  S^nat,  1911,  No.  189. 

=  *'  II  faut  que  le  bureau  soit  situ6  sur  le  parcours  d'un  courrier  en  voituro,  et 
que  los  Compagniea  do  ehcmins  de  fer  veuillent  bien  consentir  5,  acceptor  les 
colis  k  acheminer  sur  le  bureau  de  poste.  .  .  .  Brof,  tout  compte  fait,  il  n'y  a  pas 
une  commune  sur  six  on  France  oil  Ton  puisse  re^evoir  k  domicile  un  colia 
postal." — Ibid.,  Chambre  des  Deputes,  Session  1907,  No.  1247. 

3  "  II  faudrait  apporter  au  service  des  colis  postaux  des  perfectionnements  que 
les  compagnies  se  refuseront  a  effectuer  et  qui  semblent  plutdt  du  ressort  de 
V Administration.  La  reception  et  la  distribution  des  colis  postaux  dans  les 
communes  rurales  est  une  de  cos  ameliorations  desirables. 

"  II  est  inutile  d'insister  sur  I'importance  ^conomique  de  cette  question.  Les 
colis  postaux  fournissent  ou  devraient  fournir  un  moyen  facile  et  rapide  do 
transport  a  bon  march6 ;  ils  devraient  favoriser  aussi  bien  les  int^rets  du 
commerce  que  ceux  de  I'agriculture.  II  s'eu  faut  de  beaucoup  qu'ils  rendent 
tous  les  services  que  Ton  est  en  droit  d'en  atteudre." — Ibid.,  Senat,  1911, 
liio.  189, 


208  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

1887.  A  new  service  was  set  up  in  1890.  The  contractor  is 
required  to  make  two  deliveries  on  week-days  and  one  on 
Sundays  and  feast  days  {les  jours  feries),  and  to  maintain  an 
office  in  each  arrondissement.  The  system  has,  however, 
developed.  Three  daily  deliveries  are  now  given,  and  nearly 
500  offices  have  been  opened.  The  rate  of  postage  is  25  cen- 
times for  parcels  not  exceeding  5  kilogrammes,  and  40  centimes 
for  parcels  between  5  and  10  kilogrammes. 

The  total  number  of  inland  parcels  posted  during  the  year 
1913-14  was  about  52  millions. 


PARCEL   POST   IN   GERMANY 

In  the  days  of  the  horse-posts  it  was  obviously  undesirable 
to  burden  the  mails  with  weighty  packages,  and  the  trans- 
mission of  parcels  by  post  was  from  the  first  discouraged  in 
Germany,  although  not  forbidden.  Parcels  were  charged  as 
letters  by  the  half-ounce,  a  sufficiently  high  rate  to  prevent 
the  use  of  the  posts  for  their  transmission  to  any  inconvenient 
degree.  The  first  Imperial  posts  did  not,  indeed,  undertake  the 
transmission  of  parcels.  The  business  was  left  to  private 
enterprise,  and  was  conducted  by  the  Botenanstalten.  The 
posts  •  themselves  were,  however,  made  use  of  for  the  trans- 
mission of  parcels  of  merchandise  for  private  individuals  at 
least  as  far  back  as  the  Thirty  Years'  War.  Owing  to  the 
dislocation  of  industry  and  commerce  during  that  war  and 
the  high  rates  of  postage  charged,  the  number  of  parcels  was 
extremely  small,  and  their  transmission  was  confined  to 
limited  areas. ^ 

As  early  as  1635  the  messengers  were  allowed  to  carry 
parcels  so  long  as  their  travelling  was  not  thereby  impeded, ^ 
and  in  1652  a  regular  parcel  service  was  in  operation  between 
Basel  and  Zurich,  Schaffhausen,  Lindau,  and  Ulm.  In  1660 
the  Great  Elector  ordered  that  no  parcels  should  thence- 
forward be  carried  by  the  posts  free  of  postage.  This  may 
perhaps  be  taken  as  the  origin  of  a  recognized  parcel  post 
service  in  Prussia. 3 

The  rates  charged  were  at  first  based  on  the  numerous 
diverse  circumstances  which  governed  the  early  letter  rates. 

*  F.  Haass,  Die  Post  und  der  charakter  ihre  Ein  Kiinfte,  Stuttgart,  1890,  p.  95. 

*  Ordinance  issued  atBreslau;  C.  H.  Hull,  Die  deutsche  Ileichs-Packetpostf 
Jena,  1892,  p.  1. 

3  C.  H.  Hull,  ibid.  p.  2. 

15     *  «» 


210  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

They  were  increased  in  the  event  of  any  rise  in  the  price 
of  provender,  and  varied  according  to  the  mode  of  transmission 
and  according  as  the  parcels  were  sent  by  day  or  night,  in 
fine  weather  or  in  bad  weather.^  In  some  cases  the  rate 
was  varied  according  to  the  nature  of  the  contents  of  the 
parcels. 

In  1699  a  tariff,  under  which  the  rates  were  regulated 
according  to  the  distance  and  without  reference  to  the  mode 
of  transmission,  was  established  between  certain  offices  in 
Prussia,  and  in  1712  this  tariff  was  extended  generally.  The 
rate  from  Magdeburg  to  Stendal  was  3  groschen  per  pound, 
to  Leipzig  5  groschen  per  pound,  and  to  Berlin  7  groschen 
per  pound.  In  1713  the  summer  and  winter  rates  were 
abolished  in  Prussia.  The  rate  for  ordinary  parcels  from 
Berlin  to  Hamburg  was  1  groschen  per  pound,  from  Berlin 
to  Magdeburg  7  pf.  per  pound,  from  Berlin  to  Frank- 
fort 4  pf.  per  pound,  from  Berlin  to  Leipzig  1  groschen 
per  pound,  etc.  For  provisions  the  rates  were  reduced 
by  one-half,  and  for  fancy  goods  the  rates  were  doubled, 
a  method  of  charge  which  gave  rise  to  many  practical 
difficulties. 

In  Saxony,  by  an  ordinance  of  the  27th  July  1713,  parcels 
were  divided  into  four  classes,  as  follows : — 

1.  Packets  of  Documents  {Akten-Pakete).  The  letter  rate  was  applied  to  these 
in  the  following  manner : — 

1-4  pound  parcels  were  charged  as  2J  ounces 

^~0  )»  ty  »>  »J  J>     'J  )» 

6-8      „  „  „  „        „  5        ,, 

2.  Money  and  fancy  goods — 

For  the  value  of 
1-3  miles  100  thaler  current  2  groschen 
4-6    „       100      „  „        3 

7-9     „       100      „  „        4 

and  so  on  up  to  30  miles.  (Note. — Distances  are  given  in  German  miles 
throughout.) 


*  E.g.,  **Wann  die  Botten  innerhalb  Landes  verschickt  werden,  soil  Ihnen 
von  Jeder  Meill  Ein  Groschen  und  sechs  Pfennig  des  tages  und  dan  zween 
Groschen,  so  des  nachtes,  und  im  bosenschnoe  und  regenwetter  lauffen, 
sowohl  audi  des  tages  zween  Groschen  warttgold,  endtrichtet  und  gegeben 
werden." — Post  und  Botenordnung,  20  Juni  1614,  Brandenburg;  cited  P.  Haass, 
ibid. 


PARCEL  POST  IN  GERMANY 

3.  Commercial  goods — 


211 


Miles. 

Weight. 

1-3 

4-6 

7-9 

10-12 

13-15 

16-18 

19-21 

22-24 

25-27 

28-30. 

Pounds. 

Gr. 

Or. 

Gr. 

Gr. 

Gr. 

Gr. 

Gr. 

Gr. 

Gr. 

Gr. 

1 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

5 

6 

6 

7 

8 

2 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

8 

10 

11 

3 

2 

3 

5 

6 

8 

9 

10 

12 

14 

15 

10 

5 

7 

9 

13 

17 

23 

24 

32 

38 

44 

100 

14 

24 

34 

50 

58 

70 

79 

90 

110 

124 

The  weight  was  calculated  for  oach  pound  up  to  10  pounds,  then  for  15  pounds 
and  20.  For  parcels  weighing  more  than  20  pounds  the  rate  increased  for  each 
10  pounds. 

4.  Valuable  goods,  e.g.  gold,  silver,  cloth  of  gold,  brocade,  wore  charged 
double  the  rate  for  commercial  goods. 

In  1741  a  parcel  rate  was  established  in  Brunswick  and 
Liineburg,  based  simply  on  weight  and  distance,  without 
reference  to  the  nature  of  the  contents.' 

The  Prussian  rates  of  1712  continued  in  force  until  1762, 
when  a  general  revision  of  postal  rates  was  necessitated  by  the 
financial  difficulties  resulting  from  the  outbreak  of  the  Seven 
Years'  War.  The  rates  for  ordinary  commercial  transport  in 
Prussia  rose  to  such  a  degree  that  the  post,  still  working  on 
rates  fixed  in  1712,  became  the  cheapest  means  of  transport.  .>^' 

Consequently  the  parcel  post  traffic  increased,  but  it  was 
found  that  the  expenses  of  the  service  were  not  covered  by 
the  revenue  derived  from  the  parcels.  The  rates  were  accord- 
ingly increased  on  the  simple  plan  of  raising  them  all  by  100 
per  cent,  (except  in  Ostfriesland,  where  the  increase  was  50  per 
cent.).  A  further  revision  of  the  rates  was  made  in  1766. 
Apart  from  the  fact  that  the  rates  were  further  increased, 
this  revision  was  in  many  respects  beneficial,  since  it  intro- 

»  The  new  parcel  rates  were,  e.g. : — 


Weight. 

Up  to  2  Miles. 

15-16  Miles. 

Pounds. 

1 

2-10 

10-30 

30-60 

Pf. 

8 
5 
3 

1 

Gr.  pf . 

1    8 
110 

6 

212  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

duced  a  uniform  and  definite  rate  for  the  whole  country.^ 
In  1770  the  rates  of  1712  were  restored. 

Up  to  this  time  the  rates  had  been  based  partly  on  the  actual 
length  of  the  post  routes,  partly  on  the  time  occupied  by  the 
post-messengers  in  traversing  the  routes.  They  therefore  varied 
according  as  the  roads  were  good  or  bad.^  In  1801  a  mathe- 
matical measurement  of  the  roads  of  Prussia  was  made,  and 
thereafter  the  time  factor  was  eliminated  and  the  rates  based 
on  distance  only.  The  distance  was  measured,  not  in  a  direct 
line,  but  by  way  of  the  post  routes. 

The  events  of  the  Napoleonic  period  resulted  in  a  great 
increase  of  prices  in  Prussia,  and  in  order  to  meet  the 
additional  expense  of  conducting  the  posts,  the  rates  were 
increased  by  50  per  cent,  between  1805  and  1811,  but  the 
general  basis  of  charge  remained  unchanged.  In  1824  im- 
portant modifications  were  introduced.  The  discrimination 
according  to  the  nature  of  contents  of  parcels  was  abolished, 
and  the  rates  were  based  solely  on  considerations  of  weight  and 
distance  of  transmission.  Further,  the  distance  between  post 
offices  was  no  longer  to  be  reckoned  according  to  the  distance 
by  way  of  the  post  routes,  but  according  to  the  direct  distance. 3 
The  general  parcel  rate  was  fixed  at  3  pf.  per  pound  for  each 
5  miles,  with  a  minimum  charge  of  twice  letter  rate  for  parcels 
not  exceeding  4  pounds  in  weight,  and  three  times  letter  rate 
for  parcels  weighing  more  than  4  pounds.  In  the  case  of 
several  parcels  directed  to  the  same  place,  the  postage  was 
reckoned  according  to  the  total  weight.  The  Postmaster- 
General  was  authorized  to  increase  the  rates  in  the  event  of 
a  rise  in  the  cost  of  forage. 4 

A  special  rate,  in  addition  to  ordinary  postage,  was  also 
introduced  in  respect  of  parcels  directed  to  or  sent  from  offices  for 

*  The  rates  of  1766  compared  with  those  of  1712  as  follows  :  For  the  trans- 
mission of  a  pound  parcel  from  Berlin — 

1766.  1712. 

To  Hamburg  1^  gr-  1    g>^« 

To  Magdeburg  10    pf.  7    pf. 

To  Konigsberg         3J  gr.  2J  gr. 

—P.  Haass,  op.  cit.  p.  98. 
"  Dr.  Artur  Schmidt,  Finanz-Archiv,  1906,  vol.  i.  p.  80. 

3  H.  von  Stephan,  op.  cit.  p.  746. 

4  Moch,  Archiv  filrPost  und  Telegraphie,  1893,  p.  6.  If  the  average  price  of  oats 
in  the  most  important  districts  in  Prussia  should  exceed  a  thaler  a  bushel,  the  rate 
might  be  increased  from  3  pf.  to  4  pf. 


PARCEL  POST   IN   GERMANY  213 

which  no  normal  rate  had  been  fixed.  In  1826  a  reduction  of 
postage  by  10  per  cent,  was  authorized  where  the  total  yearly 
weight  of  parcels  was  between  10,000  and  20,000  pounds,  and 
of  15  per  cent,  where  the  total  yearly  weight  exceeded  20,000 
pounds.     This  reduction  was,  however,  abolished  in  1848. 

With  the  introduction  of  railways  and  the  transformation  of 
the  transportation  industry  which  ensued,  the  rates  of  1824  were 
found  to  be  too  high.  In  1842  they  were  accordingly  reduced 
by  one-half,  experimentally,  but  only  in  respect  of  parcels  sent 
on  certain  railway  routes.  In  1847  this  reduction  was  extended 
to  all  railway  routes,^  and  in  1848  the  rate  for  parcels  not 
conveyed  exclusively  on  railway  routes  was  reduced  to  2  pf.  per 
pound  for  each  5  miles.  The  distinction  was,  however,  found 
inconvenient  and  was  removed  in  1852. ^  A  general  rate  of 
IJ  pf.  per  pound  for  every  5  miles  was  then  established,  with  a 
minimum  postage  of  twice  letter  rate,  and  a  provision  that  odd 
ounces,  which  had  previously  been  ignored,  should  be  charged  as 
a  full  pound,  and  that  when  several  parcels  were  directed  to  the 
same  address  the  postage  must  be  reckoned  for  each  parcel  singly. 

Under  the  German-Austrian  Postal  Union,  established  in 
1850,  it  was  at  first  arranged  that  separate  parcel  rates  should 
be  charged  by  each  administration  to  and  from  the  frontier, 
according  to  its  own  inland  rates.  Later  the  rate  was  fixed 
at  2  pf.  per  pound  for  each  5  miles,  to  be  charged  by  each 
administration  concerned  in  the  transmission.  In  1857  one 
definite  parcel  rate  was  established  for  the  whole  territory 
of  the  Union,  graduated  according  to  direct  distance,  viz.  2  pf. 
per  pound  for  each  4  miles,  with  minima  of  from  IJ  to  7  sgr. 
The  whole  revenue  from  parcels  was  credited  to  a  common 
fund  and  divided  according  to  certain  percentages. 

A  new  parcel  rate,  based  on  weight  and  distance  only, 
was  established  at  the  founding  of  the  North  German  Union 
in  1867.  The  method  of  calculating  the  distance  of  trans- 
mission for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  postage  charge 
was  also  modified.  The  then  existing  arrangement  in  Prussia, 
based  on  the  regulations  of  1824,  provided  that  the  rate  should 
in  all  cases  be  reckoned  according  to  the  actual  distance 
between  the  post  offices  concerned.  Under  this  method,  when 
a  new  post  office  was  established,  a  parcel  rate  for  every  other 
'  Cabinet  Order  of  5th  March  1847.  =  Law  of  2nd  June  1852. 


214  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

post  office  must  be  calculated,  causing  much  labour  and  wasting 
much  time.  This  method  was  now  abandoned.  The  whole 
territory*  of  the  North  German  Union  was  divided  into 
imaginary  squares,  with  sides  2  miles  in  length,  the  points 
of  intersection  of  the  diagonals  being  taken  as  the  centres 
from  which  all  distances  were  calculated. ^  The  rates  between 
any  offices  in  two  different  squares  were  made  identical.  Such 
a  method  rendered  unnecessary  the  calculation  of  a  special  rate 
of  postage  for  every  post  office,  and  also  rendered  unnecessary 
any  fresh  calculations  of  rates  in  respect  of  any  new  post 
offices.  The  progression  of  distances  was  by  stages  of  5  miles 
up  to  30  miles,  of  10  miles  from  30  to  100  miles,  and  of 
20  miles  thereafter,  the  increase  in  the  length  of  the  steps 
being  justified  on  the  ground  that  the  cost  of  transportation 
does  not  increase  in  direct  proportion  to  the  distance. ^  The 
rate  was  2  pf.  per  pound  for  each  step  in  the  scale  of  distances. 
The  rate  of  1867  was  applied  to  the  Imperial  Post  Office 
by  the  law  of  28th  October  1871.  This  tariff,  with  its  com- 
paratively small  progressions  of  distances,  was  found  incon- 
venient, especially  with  the  large  growth  of  the  traffic.  The 
rates  had,  moreover,  been  found  too  high  for  small  parcels 
sent  over  long  distances.  In  point  of  fact,  by  far  the  greater 
part  of  parcels  under  the  weight  of  5  kilogrammes  were  less 
than  2^  kilogrammes  in  weight.  New  parcel  rates  were 
accordingly  introduced  on  the  1st  January  1874.3  For  all 
parcels  not  exceeding  5  kilogrammes  in  weight,  uniform  rates 
were  established,  on  the  ground  that  an  increase  of  postage 
according  to  the  distance  of  transmission  was  unjustifiable 
in  the  case  of  light  parcels. 4  For  the  first  10  miles  the 
rate  was  25  pf.,  and  for  all  other  distances  50  pf.  A  zone 
tariff  based  on  six  zones  of  distance  was  established  for 
parcels  of  greater  weight  than  5  kilogrammes.  For  the  first 
5  kilogrammes  such  parcels  were  charged  the  uniform  rate 
applicable  to  parcels  not  exceeding  5  kilogrammes  in  weight, 

*  A  similar  system  had  been  introduced  in  the  German  Postal  Union  in  1858. 
The  sides  of  the  squares  were,  however,  4  miles  long,  and  were  too  large  for  the 
smaller  distances  of  the  North  German  Union. 

»  Motiv  zur  Posttaxnovelle  vom  4  November  1867 ;  cited  F.  Haass,  op.  cit. 
p.  100. 
3  Law  of  17th  May  1873. 

*  Motiv  zur  Posttaxnovelle  vom  17  Mai  1373, 


PARCEL   POST   IN   GERMANY 


215 


and   the   following  table  shows   the   charges   for   the  weight 
exceeding  5  kilogrammes  : — 


Distance. 
Zone    I    Not  exceeding  10  miles 
II    From  10-20  miles 
III       ,,      20-50      ,, 
IV       „      50-100  „ 
V       .,    100-150  „ 


For  each  k^,'.  after 
the  first  5  kg. 

i  8gr.  (6  pf.) 
1     .. 


VI   Over  150 


For  cumbrous  and  unwieldy  parcels  an  additional  charge 
not  exceeding  50  per  cent,  of  the  ordinary  postage  might  be 
made.  With  the  increase  of  traffic  it  was  found  impossible  to 
forward  all  the  parcels  by  the  postal  trains,  and  the  Post  Office 
was  only  permitted  to  send  a  limited  quantity  of  parcels  by  the 
ordinary  express  trains.^  In  1880  it  was  arranged  that  parcels 
which  must  be  delivered  without  delay — e.g.  those  containing 
fish  or  flowers — should  be  forwarded  by  express  train  on  pay- 
ment of  a  special  fee  of  1  Mark  each.  In  1886  this  additional  fee 
was  made  applicable  to  all  urgent  parcels,  whatever  the  contents. 

The  tariff  of  1873  has  proved  too  high  both  for  heavy  and 
for  very  light  parcels,  and  some  curious  anomalies  result  from 
the  combination  of  zone  rates  and  uniform  rates.  A  parcel 
of  5 'kilogrammes  sent  for  any  distance  greater  than  10  miles 
costs  50  pf.  Eight  parcels  of  5  kilogrammes  each  could, 
therefore,  for  4  Marks  be  sent  for  any  distance ;  but  if 
made  up  into  one  parcel  of  40  kilogrammes  the  postage 
would  be  7  Marks  50  for  places  in  the  third  zone  (20  to 
50  miles),  and  for  places  in  the  sixth  zone  (over  150  miles) 
no  less  than  18  Marks. ^    It  is  therefore  to  the  advantage  of 

*  Railway  postal  law  of  20tli  December  1876. 

'  The  parcel  rate  for  20  kilogrammes  sent  as  one  parcel  or  as  four  parcels 
each  of  5  kilogrammes  in  each  zone  would  be  as  follows : — 


Zone. 


I  (up  to  10  miles) 


II  (10-20 

III  (20-50 

IV  (50-100 
V  (100-150 

VI  (Over  150 


As  one  Parcel. 
Pf. 


100 

200 
350 
500 
650 
800 


As  4  Parcels, 

each  of  5  kg. 

Pf. 


100 
200 
200 
200 
200 
200 


— Cp  H.  Hull,  op.  cit.  p.  21, 


216 


RATES  OF  POSTAGE 


the  public  to  divide  a  heavy  parcel,  though  such  a  proceed- 
ing obviously  increases  the  cost  to  the  administration  of  its 
handling  and  transmission.  The  despatch  of  heavy  parcels  by 
post  is  naturally  discouraged,  and  the  proportion  of  such 
parcels  is  decreasing.^  Of  the  total  number  of  parcels  sent 
by  post  in  1900,  more  than  88  per  cent,  were  less  than  6  kilo- 
grammes in  weight,  and  the  number  of  greater  weight  than 
10  kilogrammes  formed  less  than  3  per  cent.  The  average 
amount  of  postage  per  parcel  on  parcels  falling  in  Zones  III, 
IV,  V,  and  VI  is  not  appreciably  greater  than  that  on  parcels 
falling  in  Zone  11.^  The  number  of  heavy  parcels  in  the  higher 
zones  is,  therefore,  negligible,3  and  is  least  in  the  highest  zones.4 

*  Parcels  in  Imperial  Gorman  Postal  Service  (Inland)  : — 


Year. 

Parcels  not 

Froml 

From  5 

Over 

exceeding  1  kg. 

to  5  kg. 

to  10  kg. 

10  kg. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

1875 

25 

50 

18 

7 

1880 

20 

58 

17 

5 

1885 

18 

61 

17 

4 

1890 

15 

65 

18 

3 

1900 

12 

69 

17 

2 

— Finanz-Archiv,  1906,  vol.  i.  p.  89 ;  C.  H.  Hull,  op.  cit.  p. 


Average  postage  per 

parcel  (pf.)  :— 

Zone. 

1875. 

1890. 

Ortssendungon 

..     26-2 

26-8 

I 

..     32-3 

29-7 

II 

..     62-1 

57-4 

III 

..     66-5 

67-4 

IV 

. .     69-3 

57-4 

V 

. .     74-3 

58-5 

VI 

..     86-6 

73-8 
—Ibid 

p.  24. 


3  Average  weight  of  parcels  in  Imperial  German  Postal  Service  (Inland) :- 


Year. 

All  parcels. 
Kg. 

Parcels  not 
exceeding  10  kg. 

Parcels  over 
10  kg. 

1875 
1880 
1885 
1890 

4-3 

4-2 
4-1 
4-0 

3-6 
3-8 
3-8 
3-9 

16-2 
15-4 
15-0 
14-5 

—Ibid.,  p.  26. 

<  "  Angenommen  es  hatte  im  Jahre   1890  unter  10  packeton  das  Gevi^icht 
eines  in  Zone  III  12-4  K^. ;  eines  in  Zone  IV  8  7  Kg. ;  eines  in  Zone  V  7'5  Kg., 


PARCEL  POST  IN   GERMANY 


217 


In  the  case  of  very  light  parcels  also  the  rate  is  excessive. 
The  number  of  parcels  under  1  kilogramme  in  weight,  which 
in  1870  formed  about  30  per  cent,  of  the  total,  fell  in  1874  to 
26-6  per  cent.,  in  1878  to  21*8  per  cent.,  and  in  1910  to  12616 
per  cent.'  Similarly  the  rates  for  the  longer  distances  are  too 
high  generally,  and  the  number  of  parcels  falling  under  the 
higher  zone  rates  is  extremely  small.  In  1887,  42*5  per  cent, 
of  the  total  number  of  parcels  were  delivered  within  the  first 
zone,  and  84  per  cent,  within  the  first  three  zones,  those  in 
the  sixth  zone  forming  only  '064  per  cent.^  Notwithstanding 
these  defects  in  the  scheme  of  rates,  the  total  number  of 
parcels  has  largely  increased,3  and  the  cheapness  of  many  of 
the  rates  has  led  to  the  development  of  a  trafi&c  in  certain 
food-stuffs,  and  has  encouraged  numerous  localized  industries.4 


odor  eines  in  Zone  VI  6*9  Kg.,  das  der  andoren  neun  jo  5  Kg.  betragen,  so 
stando  dor  Durchschnittsportobetrag  schou  auf  seiner  thatsachlichon  Hohe." — 
C.  H.  Hull,  loc.  cit.  p.  25. 

*  Statistik  der  Deutschen  Reichs-Poxt-  und  Telegraphen-Verwaliung,  1910, 
Berlin,  1911,  p.  20. 

'  An  analysis  of  the  tra£&c  of  the  Imperial  Post  Office  gives  the  following 
result  : — 


Numbers — 

1887. 
Per  cent. 

1900. 
Per  cent. 

Parcels  not  exceeding  1  kg.  in  weight  . 

..     17-158 

12-163 

„         1-5  kg. 

,, 

. .     62  086 

68-874 

n         5-6  kg. 

M 

. .       7-095 

7-783 

»        6-7  kg. 

>» 

. .       3-984 

4-081 

»        7-8  kg. 

»> 

. .       2-629 

2-364 

»        8-9  kg. 

»»            • 

. .       1-809 

1-466 

9-10  kg. 

Jl 

..       1-353 

•986 

,,  over  10  kg.  in  weight 

.. 

..       3-886 

2-193 

Revenue  and  distance  of  transmission — 

Per  cent. 

Postage,  M. 

Local  parcels  . . 

..       0-216 

42,826 

Zone    I          

. .     42-535 

9,639,750 

6,849,005 

10,906,357 

6,321,769 

604,909 

29,200 

,,      II          

..     15-865 

Ill          

..     25-258 

,,        iJ.X                     .  .                    .  . 

„    IV         

. .     14-610 

»»■*■'          ••         ••         •• 

„      V          

1-452 

>»            •                  ••               ••               •• 

,.    VI         

..       0-064 

—P.  Haass,  ibid.  p.  77 ;  FinariB-Archiv,  1906 ;  vol.  i.  p.  89 ;  cf.  StatisUkt  1900, 
p.  31. 

3  Total  number  in  1870,  37  millions ;  in  1880,  60  millions ;  in  1890,  97 
millions ;  in  1913,  280  millions. 

*  "  Infolge  seine  Billigkcit  hat  sich  fiir  viole  Handels-  und  Erwerbszweige  ein 
unmittelbarer  Verkehr  zwiscbeu    Produssent^n  und  ^^onsiuuenten    entwickelt 


218  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

In  view  of  the  small  number  of  heavy  parcels  it  has  been 
suggested  that  the  post  should  be  restricted  to  parcels  not 
exceeding  10  kilogrammes  in  weight,  parcels  of  greater  weight 
being  left  to  the  railways.'  This  would  result  in  the  exclusion 
of  about  3  per  cent,  only  of  the  parcels.  The  proposal 
is,  however,  objected  to  on  the  ground  that  the  postal 
service  for  such  parcels  ought  not  to  be  withdrawn  unless 
the  railways  can  afford  as  punctual,  speedy,  and  cheap  a 
service  as  the  Post  Oflfice ;  ^  an  argument  which  is  sound 
only  if  the  present  rate  is  profitable  to  the  Post  Office 
(which  is  doubtful),  or  otherwise  so  long  as  it  is  assumed 
that  the  Post  Office  ought  to  continue  the  present  service 
for  the  public  advantage,  regardless  of  considerations  of  cost 
and  revenue. 

To  meet  the  difficulty  with  light  parcels  a  lower  rate  has 
been  proposed  for  parcels  under  1  kilogramme  in  weight, 
but  a  further  modification  in  favour  of  parcels  between 
1  kilogramme  and  5  kilogrammes  in  weight  is  deprecated  as 
involving  an  undesirable  complication  of  the  uniform  rates. 3 
The  parcel  post  business  is  conducted  as  part  of  the  general 
Post  Office  business,  and  consequently  it  is  not  possible  to 
eliminate  from  the  general  expenses  of  the  whole  service  the 
expenses  incurred  in  dealing  with  parcels.  It  cannot  be  said, 
therefore,  whether  either  the  light  parcels  or  the  heavy  parcels, 

(Butter-,  Fleisch-,  Fischsendungen,  u.s.w.),  der  friihor  durch  Zwischenhandel  ver- 
teuert  und  erschwert  wurde.  Ganz  neue  Erwerbszweige  haben  sich  gebildet, 
indem  Erzeugnisse,  die  friiher  am  Produktionsorte  fast  gar  nicht  vcrwertbar 
waren,  in  Massen  billig  nach  weit  entfernten  Gegenden  versandt  werden  konnen, 
um  dort  Verwertung  zu  finden.  Auch  die  Hausindustrie  ist  durch  direkten 
Bezug  von  Kohstofien  fiir  Spinnerei,  Weberi,  u.s.w.,  neu  belebt  worden." — Dr. 
Artur  Schmidt,  Finang-Archiv,  1906,  vol.  i.  p.  84. 

*  ♦'  *  Der  Eisenbahn  den  Gross- und  Massenverkehr,  der  Post  den  Kleinverkehr,' 
empfiehlt  auch  de  Terra.  In  der  Tat  erscheint  dieser  Vorschlag  verlockend. 
Denn  die  Post  kann  den  ungeheueren  Paketverkehr  schon  jotzt  nur  mit  Miihe 
bewaltigen  und  ist  zu  dem  Zwecke  oft  zur  Einstellung  kostspeiliger  Transport- 
mittel  (Eisenbahnbeiwagen)  genotigt."— Ibid.,  p.  90. 

»  Ibid.,  p.  91. 

3  **  Abgesehen  aber  von  diesem  rein  politischen  Einwand  wiirde  die  Aufstellung 
eines  komplizierten  Zonentarifs  bei  dem  heutigen  Umfang  des  Packetverkehrs 
den  Dienst  unertraglioh  erschweren  und  verzogern.  Es  lasst  sich  wohl  fragen 
ob,  wenn  jedes  Packet  auf  seine  Beforderungsentfernung  zu  priifen  ware,  der 
Dienst  sich  technisch  durchfiihren  liesse,  wenigstens  zu  Gebiihren,  welche  den 
Verkehr  nicht  allzusehr  einschranken  wiirden." — C.  H.  Hull,  op.  cit.  p.  31 ; 
vide  also  Dr.  Artur  Schmidt,  Finanz-drohiv,  1906,  vqI.  i.  p.  87, 


PARCEL   POST   IN   GERMANY  219 

the  short- distance  parcels  or  the  long-distance  parcels,  are  or 
are  not  profitable  to  the  administration,  or,  indeed,  whether 
the  parcel  post  service  as  a  whole  is  a  remunerative  service 
or  otherwise;  but  German  writers  on  the  subject  hold  the 
opinion  that  the  cost  of  the  service  exceeds  the  revenue 
derived  from  it.^ 

'  E.g.  "  Es  ist  sogar  wahrschoinlich, dass,  wcnn  zu  den  Koston  dor  Eisenbahnlois- 
tungen  fiir  Packetpostzwocko  ein  Betrag  fiir  Vcrzinzung  des  Eiscnbahn-Anlago- 
kapitala  noch  hinzugerochnot  wird,  dio  Packctpost  dann  mit  oinom  Defizit 
arbeitct."— C.  H.  Hull,  op.  cit.  p.  162;  ibid.,  p.  13Q.  Cf.  G.  Cohn,  Finanz- 
wissenschaft,  Berlin,  1889,  p.  383,  P.  W.  Grunow,  Zur  Reform  des  Paketportos  in 
Dcuischland  und  Osterreich-Ungarti,  Leipzig,  1898,  p.  131;  contra,  Handworter- 
buch  der  Staatswisscnschaft,  Jena,  1910,  vol.  vi.  p.  1092. 


IV 
MINOR    RATES 


(I)   BOOK    POST 

United  Kingdom 


In  1847  Sir  Eowland  Hill  proposed  the  provision  of  special 
facilities  for  the  transmission  by  post  in  the  United  Kingdom 
of  books  and  other  printed  matter.  He  thought  such  a 
concession  expedient  as  a  matter  of  policy,  especially,  in 
view  of  the  **  state  of  the  public  mind  on  the  important 
subject  of  education."  A  low  rate  of  postage  would  facilitate 
the  transmission  of  scientific  and  literary  reports  and  other 
documents  "  tending  to  the  extension  and  diffusion  of  know- 
ledge," and  would  be  highly  prized  by  the  Literary  and 
Scientific  Societies,  which  were  a  feature  of  those  days. 
Private  families,  especially  the  rural  clergy,  would  also  in 
that  way  be  enabled  to  obtain  valuable  publications  other- 
wise, to  them,  unattainable.  Sir  Eowland  Hill  recognized 
that  there  were  objections  to  the  granting  of  a  special  rate 
for  a  special  class  of  matter;  but  he  argued  that,  in  effect, 
the  proposal  was  nothing  more  than  an  extended  applica- 
tion of  an  existing  principle,  applied  to  newspapers  and 
Parliamentary  Proceedings,  and  (in  regard  to  certain  places 
abroad)  ordinary  periodical  publications.^ 

The  rate  proposed  was  6d.  per  pound,  which  was  virtually 
the  rate  charged  on  newspapers,  with  this  difference  to  its 
advantage,  that,  whereas  6d.  paid  on  newspapers  would  repre- 
sent six  packets  to  be  dealt  with  separately,  6d.  paid  under 
the  proposed  book  post  rates  would  be  in  respect  of  one 
'  British  Official  Records,  1847, 


MINOR  RATES  221 

packet  only.  The  high  minimum  charge  of  6d.  was  proposed 
as  a  security  against  fraud :  with  such  a  minimum  there  would 
be  no  temptation  to  send  a  packet  as  a  cover  for  a  written 
communication.  As  a  measure  of  economy  it  was  proposed 
to  send  the  packets  by  the  day  mails  as  far  as  possible,  by 
this  means  avoiding  loading  heavily  the  important  night  mail 
trains  and  adding  to  their  cost ;  and  it  was  anticipated  that 
the  rates  proposed  would  yield  some  profit  to  the  revenue. 

Objection  was  raised  on  the  ground  that  the  post  ought 
to  be  confined  to  small  packets  as  far  as  possible,  and  should 
convey  large  letters  and  packets  only  when  necessity  was 
urgent :  heavy  packets  would  impede  the  work  of  the  Post 
Office,  and  would  cause  inconvenience  in  many  ways,  es- 
pecially as  regards  foot-messengers ;  ^  but,  as  it  was  not 
thought  likely  that  any  very  great  number  of  book  packets 
would  be  posted,  the  objection  was  not  upheld,  and  the 
cheaper  rate  was  introduced.  At  first  various  restrictions 
were  imposed,  and  considerable  public  dissatisfaction  re- 
sulted, especially  in  regard  to  certain  of  the  regulations. 
These  regulations  were  consequently  relaxed  in  1853  so  as 
to  allow  practically  any  printed  matter  to  pass  at  the  book  rate. 
In  1855  the  rate  was  reduced,^  and  in  1856  circulars  were 
admitted  at  the  privileged  rate.  As  a  result  of  this  the 
number  of  book  packets  increased  rapidly.  In  1855  the  total 
number  was  3,000,000;  in  1856  the  number  increased  to 
6,000,000;  and  in  1862  reached  14,000,000.  In  1866  the 
rates  for  heavier  packets  were  further  reduced.  The  rate 
for  packets  over  8  ounces  in  weight  became  Id.  for  each 
4  ounces,  instead  of  2d.  for  each  8  ounces. 

In  1870,  when  the  Jd.  rate  for  newspapers  and  for 
postcards  was  established,3  an  important  change  in  the  book 
post  was  made.  As  the  result  of  pressure  from  the  public 
and  a  vote  in  the  House  of  Commons  in  favour  of  a  re- 
duction, carried   against   the  wishes  and   recommendation  of 

'  British  Official  Records,  1847. 
•  The  new  rates  were — 

Not  exceeding  4  ounces Id, 

„      8       , 2d. 

„        ,,      1  pound 4d. 

2d.  for  every  additional  half-pound. 

3  See  supra,  pp.  129-131. 


222  RATES  OF   POSTAGE 

the  Government,^  the  rate  on  book  packets  was  reduced 
to  Jd.  for  every  2  ounces. 

Since  1870  the  regulations  governing  admission  to  the  book 
post  have  been  modified  from  time  to  time,  chiefly  in  the 
direction  of  enabhng  the  formal  documents  of  commerce  to  pass 
at  the  reduced  rate.  All  documents  admitted  to  the  privilege 
must  conform  to  certain  requirements,  and  it  is  obvious  that 
all  such  documents  must  be  open  to  inspection  by  the  Post 
Ofiice.  It  is  therefore  an  indispensable  requirement  that  the 
documents  be  sent  in  open  covers.  Thus  arises  that  curious 
distinction  betv^een  the  "closed"  post  and  the  **  open  "  post, 
a  lower  rate  of  postage  being  given  to  packets  containing 
articles  or  documents  of  a  certain  description,  on  condition  that 
the  contents  are  open  to  inspection  by  the  postal  authorities. 

In  1897  the  ordinary  letter  rate  was  made  Id.  for  the 
first  4  ounces,  and  Jd.  for  each  additional  2  ounces.  The 
book  post,  therefore,  disappeared,  except  as  regards  packets 
not  exceeding  2  ounces  in  weight ;  and  in  1904  its  name 
was  changed  to  the  "Halfpenny  Packet  Post."  It  is  avail- 
able for  practically  all  the  formal  documents  of  commerce, 
and,  in  addition,  many  other  packets  of  miscellaneous 
character,  and  remains  a  most  important  branch  of  Post 
Office  traffic. 2    In  1913-14  the  number  of  halfpenny  packets 

"  6th  April,  1869;  Pari.  Debates  {Commons),  vol.  cxav.  col.  258. 

"The  Post  Office  revenue  is  derived  mainly  from  the  circulation  of  letters 
which  pay  Id.  for  half  an  ounce,  and  if  they  exceed  half  an  ounce,  another  Id. 
The  writers  of  those  letters  are  not  necessarily  rich  people,  or  persons  to  whom 
the  postage  is  a  matter  of  indifference ;  they  are,  in  a  certain  sense,  the  helots 
who  bear  the  burden  of  the  expense  of  the  Department.  Is  it,  then,  not  a 
question  worth  considering,  whether — supposing  we  accede  to  this  request  and 
carry  2  ounces  of  printed  matter  for  a  ^d.,  fori  the  benefit  of  a  particular  class  of 
the  community — that  might  not  interfere  with  the  possibility  of  maintaining  the 
Id,  postage  on  letters?" — Chancellor  of  Exchequer  in  House  of  Commons, 
6th  April  1869  ;  Pari,  Debates  (Commons),  vol.  cxcv.  col.  254. 

'  The  growth  of  the  traffic  is  shown  by  the  following  table : — 

Average  Annual 
Year.  Number  of  Book  Packets. 

1872-76 143,000,000 

1882-86  ..  ..  ..        323,000,000 

1892-96  ..  ,.  ..        570,000,000 

1900-05 811,000,000 

1909-10  ..  ..  .,        974,000,000 

1912-13  ..  ..  ..     1,079,000,000 

1913-14  ..  ..  ..     1,172,000,000 

— The  Post  Office :  An  Historical  Summary,  London,  1911,  p.  14  ;  and  Annual 
Reports  of  Postmaster-General. 


MINOR  RATES  223 

(excluding  postcards)  was  no  less  than  1,172  millions,  or  about 
one-fifth  of  the  total  number  of  packets  passing  by  post  in 
the  United  Kingdom. 

When  on  the  1st  November  1915  the  postage  on  letters 
over  1  ounce  in  weight  was  increased,  the  book  post  was 
re-established  as  it  had  existed  prior  to  1897,  except  for 
unimportant  modifications  of  the  regulations.  It  had  been 
proposed  to  abolish  altogether  the  Jd.  rate  of  postage,^  but 
in  view  of  strong  representations  from  the  printing  trade, 
and  of  the  hostility  of  the  general  pubHc,  this  proposal  was 
abandoned. 

France 

Particulars  of  the  earlier  rates  of  postage  charged  on  printed 
matter  in  France  cannot  now  be  ascertained,  but  they  appear 
always  to  have  been  lower  than  the  rates  for  letters.  Before 
the  Eevolution  an  octavo  book  could  be  sent  for  any  distance 
for  12  sous,  and  the  postage  on  circulars  was  less  than  a 
centime.^ 

By  the  decrees  of  17-22  August  1791,  a  rate  for  daily 
newspapers  of  8  deniers  the  sheet  was  established,  and  a 
rate  of  12  deniers  the  sheet  for  other  newspapers  and  for 
periodical  publications.  During  the  succeeding  years  the 
rates  were  modified  a  number  of  times.  In  1796  the  follow- 
ing rates  were  established: — 

4  centimes  the  sheet  for  newspapers ; 

5  centimes  the  sheet  for  unbound  books,  catalogues,  and  prospectuses. 

A  distinction  was  always  made  between  ordinary  printed 
matter  and  periodical  publications. 

In  1827  the  size  of  the  sheet  which  was  the  basis  of  the 

charge  was   fixed   at   25   square  decimetres.     The   system   of 

charge  by  weight   was  applied    to  printed  matter  in   1856, 

with  the  following  rates : — 

1  centime  for  each  5  grammes  up  to  50  grammes 
,  10  centimes  from  50  to  100  grammes 

1  centime  for  each  10  grammes  beyond  100  grammes. 

'  See  First  Report  of  the  Committee  on  Retrenchrrwnt  in  the  Public  Expendi- 
ture, 1915  (Parliamentary  Papers,  Gd.  80G7  and  Cd.  8068);  Times  newspaper, 
28th  September  1915. 

=  A.  Belloc,  Les  Pastes  fran^aises,  BecJierches  historiques,  Paris,  1886,  p.  353. 

3  Law  of  4  thermidor,  an  IV  (22nd  July  1796). 


224  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

These  rates  were  increased  by  some  50  per  cent,  in  1871. 
After  the  establishment  of  the  Universal  Postal  Union  the 
rates  in  the  internal  service  were  in  some  cases  higher  than 
those  in  the  international  service,  and  it  became  advantageous 
to  commercial  men  to  post  their  packets  abroad.  The  French 
administration  were  then  required  under  the  international 
convention  to  distribute  them  in  France  without  receiving 
any  postage.^  This  anomalous  situation  was  put  an  end  to 
in  1878,  when  the  following  rates  were  established :  — 

When  sent  under  band — 

1  centime  for  each  5  grammes  up  to  20  grammes 
5  centimes  from  20  grammes  to  50  grammes ; 
5        „        for    each    50    grammes    or   fraction  of   50  grammes 
thereafter. 

When  sent  in  open  envelopes — 

5  centimes  for  each  50  grammes  or  fraction  of  50  grammes. 

The  rates  have  since  been  reduced,  and  are  now  as  follow: — 

2  centimes  for  packets  not  exceeding   15  grammes  in  weight 

3  ,,         between  15  grammes  and    50  grammes 
6         ,,  ,,  50  grammes  and  100  grammes 

5        ,,        for  each  100  grammes  or  fraction  of  100  grammes  thereafter. 

The  number  of  packets  of  printed  matter  has  increased 
rapidly,  as  the  subjoined  table  shows : — 

Number  of  Packets  of  Ordinary 
Printed  Matter 

1877 195,148,116 

1883 315,315,725 

1889 406,252,198 

The  administration  are  given  power  to  delay  the  despatch 
or  transmission  of  packets  of  ordinary  printed  matter  should 
circumstances  render  that  course  desirable. 

In  1827  a  special  rate  of  5  centimes  for  those  delivered 
locally,  and  10  centimes  for  others,  was  conceded  to  certain 
formal  printed  documents,  such  as  notifications  of  births, 
marriages,  or  deaths.  In  1856,  to  these  were  added  pro- 
spectuses, catalogues,  prices  current,  and  cartes  de  visite. 
These  documents  must  be  sent  under  band  or  in  open 
envelopes.  The  special  rates  on  these  classes  of  packets 
^  P.  Jaocottey,  op.  cit.  p.  327. 


MINOR  RATES  225 

have  been  continued.  Under  an  order  of  the  26th  November 
1909  the  rate  for  cartes  de  visile  was  made  2  centimes  when 
sent  under  band,  but  formulas  of  courtesy  must  not  appear 
on  the  cards.  Cartes  de  visite  sent  in  open  envelopes  are 
still  charged  5  centimes. 


Germany 

In  Prussia  the  order  of  1712  did  not  provide  a  special  rate 
for  ordinary  printed  matter  sent  by  letter  post.  A  reduced 
rate  of  two-thirds  that  for  ordinary  merchandise  was,  how- 
ever, provided  for  books  and  other  similar  matter, ^  under 
the  name  of  Scliriften  und  Ahtentaxe,  when  sent  by  parcel 
post.2 

In  1821  special  rates  were  prescribed  for  various  classes  of 
printed  matter  sent  under  band  ( Versendung  unter  Kreuzhand), 
viz.  books,  music,  catalogues,  prospectuses,  prices-current, 
printed  circulars,  as  follow — 

For  each  ordinary  sheet  of  printed  matter  or  for  eight  sheets 

small  octavo  size  . .         . .         . .         . .         . .         . .         . .       8  pf. 

For  a  half  sheet  6  pf . 

,,     quarter  sheet     ..         ..  4  pf . 

,,     sheet  of  music ..     lOpf. 

„     half  sheet   ,, 5  pf  .3 

The  sheets  were  to  be  sent  under  band,  and  the  name  of 
the  sender  and  the  number  of  sheets  were  to  be  written  on 
the  outside.  The  sending  of  written  matter  in  such  packets 
was  forbidden,  under  penalty  of  a  fine  of  ten  times  letter 
postage  on  a  packet  of  the  same  size.  In  1824  the  rate  for 
matter  sent  under  band  (printed  lottery  winning  lists,  etc., 
were  now  included)  was  made  a  quarter  letter  rate,  and,  hke 
other  rates,  was  made  chargeable  according  to  direct  distance 
of  transmission.  When,  in  1850,4  the  rates  for  letters  were 
revised   and   reduced,  the   rate   for  matter  sent   under  band 

'  '*  Gedruckte  Biicher  und  Aemter-Rechnungen,  Akziso-,  Zoll-,  und  Messzettel, 
sowie  fiir  Stempelpapier."— ^Irc/iiv/iir  Post  und  Telegraphic,  1880,  p.  268. 

=  This  rate  was,  e.g.,  2  groschen  per  pound  from  Berlin  to  Xanten  or  Duisburg, 
1  groschen  to  Hamburg,  and  2  pf .  to  Spandau.— Ibid. ,  p.  269. 

^  Ibid.  4  Law  of  21st  December  1849. 

16 


226  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

was  continued  at  a  quarter  letter  rate,  and  became  (for 
1  loth  Zollgewicht  =  lJ  loth  Prussian) — 

Up  to  10  German  miles     . .         . .         . .         . .         •  •     J  sgr. 

10  to  20  „  i  sgr. 

Over    20  „  |  sgr. 

With  the  exception  of  the  name  and  address  of  the 
addressee  no  writing  was  permitted  on  these  packets, 
but  by  the  order  of  the  29th  May  1848  the  writing  of 
the  name  and  address  of  the  sender  and  the  date  was  per- 
mitted. 

With  the  increase  in  the  number  of  packets  sent  under 
band  at  the  reduced  rate,  there  grew  up  an  increasing  abuse 
of  the  privilege  by  the  enclosure  in  such  packets  of  written 
communications.  In  order  to  check  this,  it  was  provided  in 
1843  that  when  any  large  number  of  such  packets  were 
posted  by  the  same  person,  a  few  of  the  packets  should  be 
examined  in  the  presence  of  the  sender.  No  penalty  was 
at  first  imposed;  but  in  1850  it  became  necessary  to  take 
action,  and  the  royal  order  of  the  12th  June  1804,  prescribing 
a  penalty  of  10  thalers  in  cases  where  a  letter  was  enclosed 
in  a  packet  passing  at  a  rate  less  than  letter  rate,  was  made 
applicable  to  the  case  of  packets  sent  under  band;  and  the 
regulation  of  the  15th  December  1821,  prescribing  a  surcharge 
of  ten  times  letter  rate  for  a  packet  of  like  weight,  was  made 
applicable  to  cases  where  a  communication  was  written  on 
the  printed  sheet  sent  at  the  reduced  rate.^ 

In  1850,  when  the  German-Austrian  Postal  Union  was 
founded,  a  uniform  rate  of  4  silverpfennigs  for  each  loth 
was  introduced  for  packets  sent  under  band.  Following  the 
establishment  of  the  Union,  the  Prussian  administration  (§  50 
of  law  of  5th  June  1852)  fixed  a  uniform  rate  for  its  own 
service  of  6  silverpfennigs  for  each  loth.  For  local  packets 
sent  under  band  (Stadtpost-Ereuzbajidsendungen)  a  rate  of 
1  sgr.  for  each  packet  was  introduced,  reduced  to  4J  pf.  for 
each  packet  when  as  many  as  100  packets  were  posted  at 
the  same  time,  or  6  pf.  each  when  from  25  to  100  were 
posted  at  one  time.     The  definition  of  printed  matter  entitled 

^  The  first  penalty  applied  also  to  sample  packets.    , 


MINOR  RATES  227 

to  the  privilege^  was  now  enlarged.^  The  penalty  for  misuse 
of  the  privilege  was  made  a  surcharge  of  four  times  the 
amount  of  the  postage,  but  not  less  than  5  thalers,  which 
might  be  increased  fourfold  on  repetition  of  the  offence.  In 
1854  the  maximum  charge  for  packets  sent  under  band  was 
fixed  at  six  times  letter  rate,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  anomaly 
of  a  higher  charge  on  heavy  packets  sent  under  band  than  on 
letters. 3  The  fact  that  packets  under  band  could  be  sent 
for  4  pf.  throughout  the  territory  of  the  Union,  but  that  for 
transmission  within  the  Prussian  territory  the  charge  was 
6  pf.,  and  that  in  consequence  Prussian  commercial  men 
were  posting  their  packets  abroad  in  large  numbers,  led  to 
a  reduction  of  the  rate  in  1856  to  4  pf.  for  each  loth. 4 

The  large  increase  of  traffic  which  resulted  made  desirable 
a  simplification  of  the  definition  of  packets  entitled  to  the 
privilege.  Only  communications  of  general  application  could 
pass,  and  the  officials  found  themselves  often  in  doubt  as  to 
the  application  of  the  existing  definition.  Thus,  notices  of 
the  despatch  of  goods,  invitations,  or  printed  letters  could 
not  be  sent  at  the  privileged  rate,  while,  e.g.,  notices  of 
marriages  could.  So  far  as  the  Union  was  concerned,  in 
1860  the  privilege  was  limited  to  documents  reproduced  by 
mechanical  means.5  The  maximum  limit  of  weight  was 
reduced  from  16  loth  to  J  pfund  (15  loth).  This  definition 
was  introduced  in  the  Prussian  inland  service  in  1861.  The 
rate  of  postage  was  also  modified  in  that  year.  The  rate 
of  4  pf.  for  each  loth  was  retained,  but  with  the  proviso 
that  the  charge  on  packets  sent  under  band  should  not 
exceed  twice  letter  rate.  This  effected  a  great  reduction  of 
charge  for  the  heavier  packets.  Whereas  previously  the  rate 
for  a  packet  under  band  weighing  10  loth,  sent  more  than 
10  German  miles,  had  been  18  sgr.,  it  now  became  6  sgr.^  In 
1865  a  special  rate  of  4  pf.  for  printed  matter  sent  in  the  form 

'  "  Zeitungen,  Journalc,  Prois-Courante,  gcdruckte  Cirkularicn,  Empfehlungs- 
schreiben,  Corrokturbogen  ohnc  beigefiigtes  Manuskript  und  gedrucktc  Lotterie- 
Gewinnlisten." 

=  To  include  "  Druckscbriftcii,  Ankiindigungon  und  sonstigo  Anzeigen." 

3  Archiv  fUr  Post  und  Telegraphie,  1880,  p.  273. 

4  Order  of  11th  April  1856. 

5  Archiv  fUr  Post  und  Telegraphic,  1880,  p.  274. 

6  Ibid.,  p.  275. 


228  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

of  an  open  card  was  introduced  in  Prussia.^  The  simplifica- 
tion of  definition  and  reduction  of  rate  resulted  in  a  large 
increase  of  traffic. 

In  1867,  when  the  North  German  Postal  Services  were 
unified,  the  penalty  for  abuse  of  the  privilege  was  reduced 
to  a  surcharge  of  four  times  letter  rate,  but  not  less  than 
a  thaler;  and  the  law  of  1871,  founding  the  Imperial  Post 
Office,  abolished  the  fine  because  it  had  been  found  that  the 
offences  were  for  the  most  part  committed  through  ignorance 
of  the  regulations.  Slight  changes  were  made  in  the 
regulations  under  which  printed  matter  was  admitted  to  the 
privilege,  but  no  change  was  made  in  the  rates  of  charge. 

The  law  regarding  the  Imperial  Post  Office  (28th  October 
1871)  left  the  fixing  of  rates  for  printed  matter  to  the  Imperial 
Chancellor.  The  maximum  limit  of  weight  was  raised  from 
J  pound  (250  grammes)  to  1  pound  (500  grammes).  The 
rates  of  postage  were  ^  sgr.  for  each  40  grammes  up  to 
250  grammes,  with  a  maximum  of  2  sgr. ;  from  250  to  500 
grammes,  3  sgr.^  The  large  increase  of  traffic  resulting  from 
the  reductions  in  the  rates  for  printed  matter  and  for  samples 
caused  practical  difficulties,  and  in  18733  the  acceptance  of 
letters,  postcards,  printed  matter,  and  samples  was  to  be 
only  in  the  Briefhasten, 

In  18744  the  limit  of  weight  for  printed  matter  was  raised 
to  1  kilogramme,  and  the  rate  was  made — 

Not  exceeding  50  grammes     . .         . .         . .         . .         . .  3  pf. 

50  to  250  grammes 10  pf. 

250  to  500        „  20  pf. 

Over    500        „  30  pf. 

In  1879  (order  of  8th  March)  the  definition  of  printed 
matter  was  further  extended. 5 

The  tariff  of  1874  raised  by  about  50  per  cent,  the  postage 
on  packets  between  50  and  100  grammes.  Against  this  pro- 
tests were  made,  especially  since  the  rate  for  the  transmission 

»  Archiv  filr  Post  und  Telegraphie,  1880,  p,  27G. 

=  Ibid.,  p.  278.  3  Order  of  3rd  March  1873. 

4  Order  of  18tli  December  1874. 

5  "  Alle  durcli  Buchdruck,  Kupferstich,  Stahlstich,  Holzsohnitt,  Lithographic, 
Metallographie,  und  Photographic  vervielfaltigton  Gegenstande"  (Sofern  sic  nach 
ihrer  Form  und  sonstigen  BeschafEenheit  zur  Versendung  mit  der  Briefpost 
geeignet  QTacheiuQu).— Archiv  fur  Post  und  Telegraphie,  1880,  p.  281. 


MINOR   RATES  229 

of  such  packets  for  the  furthest  points  of  the  Universal 
Postal  Union  was  no  greater  than  the  rate  for  transmission 
within  Germany.  In  1890  the  rates  were  modified,  packets 
between  50  and  250  grammes  being  divided  into  two  groups, 
50  to  100  grammes,  and  100  to  250  grammes.  The  rate 
for  the  first  was  made  5  pf.,  for  the  latter  it  remained  10  pf. 
The  increase  of  the  maximum  limit  of  weight  has  led  to 
practical  difficulties.^ 

This  traffic  has  attained  large  proportions.  In  1910  the 
number  of  packets  of  printed  matter  passing  in  the  inland 
service  was  nearly  a  thousand  millions.^ 


(II)  SAMPLES 

United    Kingdom 

In  England,  letters  containing  samples  and  patterns  were 
from  the  first  establishment  of  the  Post  Office  charged  with 
double  postage.  In  1753,  arising  out  of  the  general  dis- 
satisfaction with  the  Post  Office  felt  at  that  time  by  the 
trading  public,  the  legality  of  the  double  charge  was  con- 
tested. Merchants,  while  admitting  that  any  letter  con- 
taining a  pattern  or  sample  which  should  weigh  as  much 
as  an  ounce  must  pay  at  the  ounce  rate,  contended  that, 
if  weighing  less  than  an  ounce,  the  letter  should  be  charged 
according  to  the  number  of  sheets  of  paper,  and  that  the 
pattern  which  was  enclosed  should  be  ignored. 3  The  Act  of 
the  9th  of  Anne  prescribed  the  postage  on  "every  single 
letter  or  piece  of  paper "  not  of  the  weight  of  one  ounce, 
and   prescribed   that  "a   double   letter"    should    pay   double 

*  "Auch  der  Erhohung  des  Meistgewichts  lasst  sich  das  Wort  nicht  redcn. 
Mit  dieser  Massnahme  wachst  sofort  die  Unhandlichkeit  der  Sendungen  und 
damit  die  Vermehrung  und  Kostspieligkeit  der  Betriebsmittel.  Beroits  jotzt 
miissen  zur  Bewaltigung  der  Masscn  v.a.  in  don  Bahnposten,  besondors  infolge 
der  vielfach  vertrotncn  Rollenform,  aussorordentliche  Austrengungen  gemacht 
werden.  Zudem  bietet  das  billige  Paketporto  hinreichond  giinstige  Gelegenheit 
zur  Versendung  schwerer  Drucksachen.  Zu  einer  Aenderung  des  Drucksachen- 
tarifa  liegt  demnach  ein  Bediirfniss  nicht  vor." — Finam-Archiv,  1905,  vol.  11. 
p.  178. 

»  Statistik  der  DeutscJien  Beichs-Post-und  Telegraphen-Verwaltung,  1910, -p.  15. 

5  H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post  Office,  p.  177. 


230  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

rate.^  The  contention  of  the  merchants  was  that  the  en- 
closure of  a  pattern  or  sample  did  not  convert  a  single  letter 
into  a  double  letter,  and  that  to  constitute  a  double  letter 
there  must  be  a  second  sheet  of  paper — a  contention  which 
is  sound  enough  if  postage  be  regarded  as  a  tax  on  com- 
munications and  not  as  a  mere  charge  for  the  conveyance 
of  a  packet.  At  Bristol,  Manchester,  and  Gloucester,  legal 
proceedings  were  taken  against  local  postmasters  for  de- 
manding and  receiving  more  than  the  legal  postage.  In 
each  case  a  special  verdict,  in  almost  identical  terms,  was 
given,  and  the  Postmasters-General  were  advised  by  the 
Attorney- General  that  the  decision  was  likely  to  go  against 
the  Crown  if  they  brought  up  one  of  the  verdicts  for 
argument.  In  their  difficulty  they  resorted  to  Parliament, 
and  obtained  specific  statutory  authority  for  an  additional 
charge  in  respect  of  patterns  and  samples.^ 

This  state  of  affairs  continued  until  1795,  when  samples 
were  given  a  definite  statutory  privilege.  Under  an  Act  of 
that  year  it  was  provided  that  a  packet  of  patterns  or  samples 
might  pass  as  a  single  letter  on  condition  that  it  did  not 
exceed  1  ounce  in  weight,  that  it  was  open  at  the  sides, 
and  that  it  contained  no  writing  other  than  the  name  and 
address  of  the  sender  and  the  price.3  This  privilege  was 
continued  by  the  Act  of  1801.4  In  1805  an  additional 
penny  was  charged  on  all  such  packets. s  In  1812  a  further 
addition  to  the  postage  was  made,  viz.  an  addition  of  2d. 
for  every  **  letter,  packet,  or  cover  not  exceeding  an  ounce 
in  weight"  and  containing  a  pattern  or  sample,  if  "closed 
or    not    open    at    the    sides,"    or    an    addition    of    Id.    if 

'  ••  For  the  Port  of  every  Single  Letter,  or  Piece  of  Paper,  to  or  from  any  Place 
not  exceeding  Eighty  English  Miles  distant  from  the  said  General  Post  Office  in 
London,  and  within  that  Part  of  Great  Britain  called  England,  and  not  coming 
from  or  directed  on  Shipboard,  Three-pence ;  and  for  the  like  Port  of  every  Double 
Letter,  Sixpence;  etc." — 9  Anne,  cap.  10,  §  6. 

^  *'  For  every  Single  Letter  or  Cover  containing  One  or  more  Paper  or  Papers 
with  Patterns,  or  containing  One  or  more  Pattern  or  Patterns  of  Cloth,  Silk, 
Stufi,  or  One  or  more  Sample  or  Samples  of  any  other  Sort  of  Goods,  or  One  or 
more  Piece  or  Pieces  of  any  Sort  of  Thing  enclosed  therein,  or  affixed  thereto, 
though  not  Paper,  if  the  same  together  do  not  weigh  an  Ounce  Weight,  the 
Rates  payable  for  a  Double  Letter  shall  be  paid,  and  no  more." — 26  Geo.  II, 
cap.  13,  §  8. 

3  35  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  53,  §  9.  *  4.1  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  7,  §  11. 

5  45  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  1  ,  §  1. 


MINOR  RATES  231 

open  at  the  sides.^  By  the  consolidating  Act  of  1837  it 
was  provided  that  packets  or  covers  containing  patterns  or 
samples  and  not  exceeding  an  ounce  in  weight,  if  open  at  the 
sides  and  without  any  **  letter  or  writing  in,  upon,  or  within 
such  packet  or  cover,"  other  than  the  name  and  address  of 
the  sender  and  the  price,  should  be  charged  as  single 
letters,  but  "letters  not  open  at  the  sides  containing 
patterns  or  samples  and  not  exceeding  1  ounce  in  weight" 
were  to  be  charged  as  double  letters.^  In  1839  the  Treasury 
were  empowered  to  fix  rates  of  postage  for  all  letters  by 
weight,3  and  in  1840  rates  of  postage,  charged  according  to 
weight  alone,  "  without  reference  to  the  number  of  sheets 
or  pieces  of  paper,  or  enclosures,"  were  legalized. 4  This  Act 
contained  no  special  provision  in  respect  of  packets  contain- 
ing samples  or  patterns. 

On  the  1st  October  1863,  with  the  declared  object  of 
benefiting  trade  and  commerce  by  affording  facilities  for  the 
cheap  transmission  of  bona  fide  trade  patterns  and  samples 
of  merchandise  throughout  the  country,  an  "  Inland  Pattern 
and  Sample  Post "  was  established.  Since  the  Post  Office, 
and  the  Post  Office  alone,  had  the  means  of  conveying  such 
articles  at  a  moderate  rate  of  charge  to  and  from  all  parts 
of  the  country,  including  even  the  most  remote,  it  was 
thought  some  special  concession  ought  to  be  made.  The 
privilege  was,  however,  restricted  within  narrow  limits,  as 
it  was  feared  that  a  large  increase  in  the  number  of 
moderately  heavy  packets  would  impede  the  work  of  the 
Post  Office.  It  would,  moreover,  seriously  affect  the  amount 
of  the  payments  to  railway  companies  for  the  convey- 
ance of  mails,  a  matter  of  grave  anxiety  to  the  Post  Office 
at  that  time.s  The  privilege  was  therefore  restricted  to 
genuine  samples,  and  no  article  of  intrinsic  value  might  be 
sent  at  the  reduced  rate. 

The  original  rates  were : — 

Under  4  ounces  3d. 

„      8      „  6d. 

„    16      „  Is.  Od. 

„    24      „  Is.  6d. 

»  52  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  88,  §  2.  «  7  WiU.  IV  «fe  1  Vict.,  cap.  34,  §  28. 

3  2  &  3  Vict.,  cap.  52,  §  1.  *  3  &  4  Vict.,  cap.  96,  §  4. 

5  Vide  Annual  Beports  of  tJie  Postmaster-Oeneral,  1859  et  seq. 


232  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

The  computations  of  the  financial  effects  of  the  rates  were 
made — as  was  usual  in  such  cases — by  estimating  the  effect 
on  the  gross  revenue,  taking  into  account  the  probable 
increase  in  the  number  of  packets,  and  estimating  also  what 
additional  expense  would  be  incurred  in  dealing  with  the  addi- 
tional traffic.^  The  main  financial  principle  seems  to  have 
been  that  as  the  letter  rate  was  enormously  profitable,  a 
reduced  rate  for  a  comparatively  small  volume  of  traffic 
could  be  given  without  involving  actual  loss,  and  without 
any  serious  result  on  the  net  revenue. 

In  1864  the  rates  were  reduced  by  one-third.  In  1865 
the  exclusion  of  articles  of  intrinsic  value  was  abandoned  ; 
but  there  was  no  relaxation  of  the  essential  condition  that 
the  articles  must  be  bona  fide  samples.  In  1866  there  was 
a  further  slight  modification  of  the  rates.  The  number  of 
packets  sent  at  the  privileged  rate  increased  from  half  a 
million  in  1864  to  a  million  in  1865,  and  by  1868  the 
number  had  reached  three  millions. 

The  facilities  afforded  by  this  post  were  taken  advantage 
of  to  a  large  extent  for  the  forwarding  of  small  packets  of 
goods  on  sale  or  in  execution  of  an  order.  It  was  estimated 
that  at  least  half  the  packets  were  not  genuine  samples  at 
all,  but  contained  goods  of  this  kind ;  and  the  definite  re- 
striction of  the  post  to  its  original  purpose  of  carrying  trade 
samples  and  patterns  was  deemed  necessary.  This  was 
provided  for  in  the  Act  of  1870,  the  rate  of  postage  being 
at  the  same  time  reduced  to  Jd.  for  every  '2  ounces. 

The  enforcement  of  the  restriction  gave  rise  to  considerable 
public  dissatisfaction.  It  was  apparent  that  fairly  general  use 
had  been  made  of  the  sample  post  for  the  transmission  of 
small  parcels  of  all  kinds  of  goods.  Many  persons  Hving  in 
remote  parts  of  the  country  were  in  the  habit  of  obtaining 
supplies  of  goods  of  various  kinds  by  this  means ;  and  it  was 
alleged  that  by  the  facilities  afforded  by  this  post  some 
industries,  such  as  lace-making,  were  actually  created  in 
certain  districts,  or  at  any  rate  were  greatly  helped.  The 
post  was  also  much  used  for  the  sending  of  small  personal 
gifts. 

Public  agitation  against   the  restriction   became  so   strong 
'  British  Official  Records,  1863. 


MINOR   RATES  233 

that  the  postal  authorities,  although  apparently  holding  the 
view  that  a  general  parcel  post  was  indefensible  in  principle, 
became  fearful  that,  unless  the  public  were  given  some  con- 
cession on  this  point,  an  attack  might  be  made  on  the  Id. 
rate  for  ordinary  letters.  Such  an  attack,  if  successful, 
would  of  course  have  been  fatal  to  Post  Office  revenue.  It 
was  proposed,  therefore,  to  make  definite  provision  for  the 
transmission  by  post  at  low  rates  of  postage  of  small 
packets  containing  articles  other  than  samples.  A  rate  for 
small  parcels,  whatever  the  contents,  would  at  the  same 
time  remove  the  difficult  and  unsatisfactory  task  of  deciding 
what  was  or  was  not  a  sample  or  pattern.  These  objects 
might  be  secured  by  a  general  reduction  of  the  rates  for 
inland  letters;  and  this  course  was  ultimately  adopted,  after 
some  hesitation  from  fear  of  the  effect  on  the  revenue.  The 
rates  on  the  heavier  inland  letters  were  accordingly  reduced 
by  Treasury  Warrant  of  16th  August  1871,  and  the  sample 
post  at  the  same  time  abolished.' 

In  the  early  'eighties  there  was  a  strong  demand  from  the 
public  for  the  re-establishment  of  the  sample  post.  The 
advantage  to  trade  was  emphasized,  and  attention  was 
called'  to  the  existence  of  a  privileged  rate  for  samples  on 
the  Continent  and  in  the  international  service.  The  exist- 
ence of  a  low  sample  rate  in  the  international  service  led, 
indeed,  to  a  curious  development.  As  samples  which,  if 
posted  in  this  country,  would  be  charged  2d.,  could  be  posted 
on  the  Continent  for  foreign  transmission  at  a  charge  of  Id., 
several  firms  in  England  were  in  the  habit  of  sending  large 
numbers  of  sample  packets  in  bulk  to  Belgium,  where  they 
were  posted  at  the  Id.  rate  addressed  to  places  in  England. 
The  result  of  this  manoeuvre  was  that,  instead  of  receiving 
the  inland  postage  of  2d.  for  these  packets,  the  British  Post 
Office  performed  practically  the  same  service  in  respect    of 

*  See  supra,  p.  31. 

•♦  The  public  felt  aggrieved  at  the  restriction,  and,  as  the  difficulty  of  defining 
samples  in  all  cases  could  not  be  overcomo,  it  was  decided  to  reduce  the  inland 
letter  postage  to  such  an  extent  as  would  enable  the  public  to  send  through  the 
post  in  closed  covers  not  only  patterns  and  samples,  but  also  any  light  articles 
for  a  moderate  charge  ;  thus  abolishing  altogether  the  distinction  between  letters 
and  samples,  and  providing  a  cheap  and  convenient  post  for  small  parcels." — 
Seventeenth  Report  of  the  Postmaster-Oeneral,  London,  1871,  p.  4, 


234  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

them  as  if  they  had  been  posted  in  England,  but  received 
nothing,  since  under  the  Postal  Convention  the  v^hole  of  the 
postage  on  foreign  letters  is  retained  by  the  country  of 
origin.  It  was  estimated  that  there  was  in  this  way  a  loss 
to  revenue  of  ^1,000  a  year. 

It  was  in  great  part  the  existence  of  this  anomaly  which 
led  to  the  re-establishment  of  the  sample  post  in  1887. 
No  exact  estimate  was  made  of  the  cost  of  dealing  with 
sample  packets,  but  the  authorities  stated  that  the  rates 
proposed,  viz.  under  4  ounces  Id.,  over  4  ounces  and  under 
6  ounces  IJd.,  and  over  6  ounces  and  under  8  ounces  2d. 
(8  ounces  to  be  the  maximum  weight),  would  be  remunerative, 
and  that  any  immediate  loss  to  revenue  in  consequence  of 
the  reduction  in  rates  would  therefore  be  likely  soon  to  be 
made  up.  This  statement  must,  however,  have  been  based 
on  general  considerations  and  estimates.  In  the  following 
year  the  Secretary  to  the  Post  Office  (Sir  Arthur  Blackwood) 
told  a  Select  Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  that 
the  Post  Office  had  not  any  return  of  the  cost  per  million 
letters,  or  any  return  of  that  kind  by  quantity,  and  that  the 
Post  Office  could  not  give  the  actual  cost  per  million  letters.' 

The  post,  which  was  re-established  in  the  interests  of 
trade  and  could  only  be  used  by  traders,  was  continued 
until  1897,  when  the  Jubilee  reductions  brought  down  the 
postage  on  ordinary  letters  to  the  level  of  the  sample  rate. 

The  sample  post  was  never  more  than  a  very  minor  part 
of  the  Post  Office  business.  In  1865,  when  the  total  number 
of  letters  passing  by  post  was  some  700  millions,  the  number 
of  samples  was  one  million.  In  1870  the  number  of  samples 
was  four  millions.  In  1896,  the  last  year  of  its  exist- 
ence as  a  special  rate,  the  number  of  samples  was  nine 
millions.  In  that  year  the  number  of  letters,  etc.,  was  some 
3,000  milHons. 

As  a  result  of  the  increase  of  letter  postage  on  the  heavier 

'  Report  of  Select  Committee  on  Estimates  of  Revenue  Departments,  1888,  p.  24. 

It  may  be  noted,  in  justification  of  the  view  sometimes  advanced  that 
additional  traffic  can  without  loss  be  undertaken  by  the  Post  Office  at  rates 
lower  than  those  for  the  main  services,  that  in  this  case  the  Post  Office 
anticipated  that  no  direct  additional  expense  would  be  incurred  in  the 
provinces  in  dealing  with  the  increase  of  traffic,  and  that  in  London  the 
additional  expense  would  only  amount  to  some  JBSOO  a  year. 


MINOR   RATES  235 

letters,  as  a  war  measure,  it  has  been  deemed  necessary  to 
re-establish  the  inland  sample  post.  On  the  1st  November 
1915  the  post  was  accordingly  re-established  substantially  as 
it  existed  prior  to  1897.  The  rates  of  postage  are  the  same, 
and  the  regulations  practically  unaltered. 

France 

In  France,  by  the  decree  of  17-22  August  1791  (Article  16), 
samples  were  accorded  a  privileged  rate  of  one-third  letter 
postage,  with  the  reservation  that  in  no  case  could  the  postage 
charged  be  less  than  that  on  a  single  letter.  In  1848,  when 
a  low  uniform  rate  for  letters  was  adopted,  it  was  thought 
that  the  privilege  given  to  samples  need  not  be  continued. 
The  suppression  of  the  special  privileged  rate  was  found 
almost  to  exclude  samples  from  the  mails,  and  in  1856  they 
were  again  given  a  privilege  by  the  extension  to  them  of 
the  rates  and  conditions  applied  to  printed  matter.^  The 
limit  of  weight  for  samples  was  fixed  at  3  kilogrammes,  and 
the  limit  of  each  dimension  at  45  centimetres;  but  these 
limits  were  found  to  be  too  great.  The  post  became  en- 
cumbered with  large  packets  which  it  could  not  enclose  in 
the  mails,  and  which,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  had  not  the 
means  of  dealing  with.  Consequently,  in  1858  the  limit  of 
weight  was  reduced  to  300  grammes,  and  the  maximum 
dimension  to  25  centimetres. ^  It  was  still  found,  however, 
that  packets  of  samples  gave  rise  to  considerable  embarrass- 
ment in  the  service.  Their  irregular  size  rendered  stamping 
more  difficult,  and  their  volume  and  the  unsatisfactory  manner 
in  which  they  were  made  up  for  the  post  caused  incon- 
venience, especially  in  the  travelling  offices,  where  space  is 
limited. 

The  object  in  view  in  establishing  the  sample  rate  had 
been  to  encourage  trade  by  the  distribution  of  trade  samples, 
and  not  to  found  a  new  general  means  of  conveyance  for 
small  parcels.  But  commercial  houses  were  not  slow  to  take 
advantage  of  the  means  afforded  for  the  distribution  of  small 

'  See  supra,  p.  223. 

2  Arrcte  of  4th  March  1858.  In  1881  these  limits  were  raised  slightly— to  350 
grammes  and  to  30  centimetres  respectively. 


236  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

packages  of  goods.  At  first  it  was  made  a  condition  of 
acceptance  at  the  privileged  rate  that  the  articles  should 
bear  the  name  of  the  dealer  or  maker,  but  this  precaution 
was  abandoned  before  long.^ 

A  minimum  rate  of  1  centime  for  packets  not  exceeding 
5  grammes  in  weight  had  been  fixed  in  1856.  This  proved 
too  low,  and  in  1871  the  minimum  was  raised  to  30  centimes, 
which  proved  to  be  too  high.  The  number  of  samples,  which 
in  1869  had  been  9,751,970,  fell  in  1872  to  3,461,981.2  In 
December  1873  this  rate  was  reduced  by  one-half,  and  in 
August  1875  the  rate  was  fixed  at  5  centimes  for  each 
50  grammes.  Under  this  rate  the  numbers  increased  rapidly  : 
5,267,964  packets  were  sent  through  the  post  at  the  sample 
rate  in  1874,  and  by  1889  the  numbers  had  risen  to  25,731,985. 
The  present  rate  is  5  centimes  per  50  grammes,  with  a  maxi- 
mum limit  of  500  grammes.  The  number  of  sample  packets 
in  the  year  1912-13  was  about  78  millions.3 

Germany 

Samples  were  first  given  a  privilege  in  Prussia  in  1825.4 
Packets  containing  samples  were  then  given  single  letter 
rate  up  to  IJ  loth,  and  half  the  letter  rate  for  heavier 
packets.  They  must  either  be  sent  enclosed  in  a  letter  or 
attached  to  a  letter,  and  the  letter  must  not  exceed  f  loth 
in  weight. 
In  1850  the  following  rates  for  samples  were  established: — 

Not  exceeding  10  German  miles  . .         . .         . .         . .  1  silver  groschen 

10  to  20  German  miles      . .         . .         . .         . .         . .  2  „ 

Over    20  „  3  „ 

and  for  heavier  packets,  half  letter  rate. 

Under  the  Austro-German  Postal  Union,  established  on  the 
6th   April   1850,    the    ordinary  rate    for    single  letters    was 

^  In  1871  the  Compagnie  des  Chemins  de  Fer  de  I'Est  filed  a  petition  in  which 
they  contested  the  right  of  the  Post  Office  to  send  samples  of  merchandise 
by  railway  without  specially  remunerating  the  railway  company.  They 
claimed  that  under  the  law  they  were  obliged  to  carry  free  only  "  letters  "  and 
"despatches."  The  case  was,  however,  decided  against  the  company. — 
P.  Jaccottey,  op.  cit.,  p.  334. 

=  Ibid.,  p.  333. 

3  Statistique  ginirale  du  service  postal,  Berne,  1914,  p.  7. 

*  ArchivfUr  Post  und  Telegraphie,  1880,  p.  270, 


MINOR   RATES  237 

charged  in  the  case  of  samples  for  each  2  loth,  according  to 
distance.  In  1852  the  Prussian  internal  rates  for  samples 
were  brought  into  accord  with  those  of  the  Union.  Samples 
must  be  sent  in  unsealed  covers  and  must  be  easily  recogniz- 
able as  such.  The  maximum  weight  was  16  loth,  and  the 
maximum  charge  was  not  to  exceed  six  times  letter  rate. 

In  1853  a  further  privilege  was  conceded.  When  sent 
together  with  a  letter,  samples  might  be  enclosed  in  sealed 
covers ;  but  in  order  to  enable  the  administration  to  maintain 
a  control  over  the  use  of  the  privilege,  the  postal  officials 
were  empowered  at  discretion  to  require  the  sender  to  open 
such  packets.^ 

In  1860,  when  the  Austro-German  Postal  Union  was 
renewed,  the  limit  of  weight  for  samples  was  reduced  to 
i  pound  (15  loth).  Following  this  reduction  the  Prussian 
rates  for  samples  were  reduced  in  1861 :  for  samples  weighing 
more  than  2  loth  only  the  rate  for  a  double  letter  (according 
to  distance)  was  to  be  charged.  The  reduction  was  not 
followed  by  any  large  increase  in  the  number  of  sample 
packets.  Every  sample  must  still  be  accompanied  by  a 
letter,  a  circumstance  which  made  the  application  of  the 
sample  rate  heavy.  With  a  view  to  the  further  encourage- 
ment of  the  traffic  this  requirement  was  removed  in  1863, 
and  the  despatch  of  samples  under  band,  in  envelopes,  little 
bags,  or  similar  covers,  authorized.  New  rates  were  intro- 
duced as  follows  :  4  pf.  for  each  2J  loth.  To  prevent  abuse 
of  the  privilege  it  was  provided  that  no  article  of  marketable 
value  could  be  sent  at  the  reduced  rate.  The  packet  must 
be  marked  to  show  that  it  contained  a  sample,  and  might 
also  bear  the  name  and  address  of  the  senders,  the  trade 
mark,  and  the  number  of  samples  and  prices. 

In  1871  the  rate  for  the  Imperial  Postal  Service  was  made 
i  sgr.  for  each  40  grammes  with  a  maximum  of  2  sgr.  Prac- 
tical difficulties  arose  from  the  great  increase  of  traffic  which 
followed  this  reduction  of  rate.  Large  packets  and  packets 
of  awkward  shape  were  posted,  causing  practical  difficulties, 
especially  in  the  sorting  carriages,  and  it  was  found  necessary 
to  decline  to  accept  samples  over  the  counter,  and  to  forbid 
the  acceptance  of  samples  in  roll  form.  The  sample  rate 
»  Archiv  fUr  Post  und  Telegraphic,  1880,  p.  273. 


238  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

was,  moreover,  complicated  as  compared  with  the  letter  rate. 
While  there  were  but  two  rates  for  letters,  there  were  five 
for  samples,  viz.  4,  8,  12,  16,  and  20  pf.  In  1875  the 
sample  rate  was  simplified  by  the  introduction  of  a  single 
rate  of  10  pf.  for  all  sample  packets,  with  a  maximum  limit 
of  weight  of  250  grammes. 

The  maximum  limit  of  weight  was  raised  in  1898  to  350 
grammes,  and  in  1914  to  500  grammes.  The  present  rates 
for  samples  are : — 

Not  exceeding  250  grammes . .     10  pf . 

250-500  grammes  ..         ..         20  pf. 

Prepayment  is  compulsory. 

The  sample  post  traffic  has  increased,  but  has  not  attained 
large  proportions  compared  with  letters.  In  1878  the  number 
of  samples  was  4,389,000  and  in  1913-14,  87  millions  (inland 
service).  The  minimum  rate  (10  pf.)  is  high  compared  with 
the  minimum  rates  for  ordinary  printed  matter  and  news- 
papers, and  a  minimum  rate  of  5  pf.  has  been  suggested.  ^ 


(IIT)   COMMERCIAL  PAPERS 

United  Kingdom 

Letter  postage  was  found  to  be  high  for  the  formal 
documents  of  commerce,  and  from  very  early  times  there 
has  been  a  disposition  to  accord  an  exceptionally  low  rate 
to  such  documents.  The  Act  of  1660  conferred  a  special 
privilege  on  merchants'  accounts  not  exceeding  one  sheet  of 
paper,  bills  of  exchange,  invoices,  and  bills  of  lading.  They 
were  to  be  "  without  rate  in  the  price  of  letters,"  that  is 
to  say,  no  account  was  to  be  taken  of  them.  This  privilege 
was  continued  -by  the  9th  of  Anne.^  The  Postmasters- 
General  contended  that  the  privilege  was  granted  in  the 
case  of  letters  for  foreign  transmission  only,  but  the  mer- 
chants affected  to  interpret  the  Act  as  applying  in  the 
ease  of  inland  letters  also.     They  naturally  pointed  out  that 

^  Dr.  Artur  Schmidt,  Finanz-Archiv,  1905,  vol.  ii.,  p.  180. 
»  9  Anne,  cap.  10,  §  13. 


MINOR  RATES  239 

restriction  of  the  privilege  to  foreign  letters  iraposed  on  traders 
within  the  realm  a  burden  of  postage  not  imposed  on  traders 
beyond  the  sea/  and  the  Postmasters- General  found  so  much 
difficulty  in  maintaining  the  additional  charge  in  the  case 
of  inland  letters  that  they  were  ultimately  driven  to  apply 
to  Parliament,  in  1720,  for  the  express  sanction  of  law.^ 
From  this  time  commercial  or  other  papers  obtained  no 
special  advantage  over  ordinary  letters  in  the  inland  service ; 
and  in  1801,  when  the  Post  Office  was  endeavouring  by  all 
possible  means  to  increase  its  net  revenue,  the  privilege  in 
the  case  of  foreign  letters  was  withdrawn.3 

The  introduction  of  a  specially  low  rate  for  commercial 
documents  was  considered  in  the  'thirties  of  last  century 
by  the  Treasury  Commissioners  of  Inquiry  into  the  Manage- 
ment of  the  Post  Office,  who  recommended  the  adoption  of 
a  general  jd.  rate.4  Nothing  came,  however,  of  this  sugges- 
tion. 

The  privilege  to  commercial  papers  has  since  been  restored 
by  little  and  little  as  extensions  of  the  book  post,  estab- 
lished in  1847  iq-v.),  and  at  the  present  time  most  of  the 
formal  documents  of  commerce  not  exceeding  2  ounces  in 
weight  pass  at  the  reduced  rate  of  Jd. 


France 

(Papiers  d' Affaires) 

In  the  French  service  commercial  papers  (papiers  d'affaires) 
constitute  a  special  category  of  postal  packets.  Documents 
included  under  this  heading  may  be  described  briefly  as  papers 

'  H.  Joyce,  History  of  tlie  Post  Office,  p.  332. 

=  6  Geo.  I,  cap.  21.  3  41  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  7,  §  4. 

*  "  We  find  that  in  Franco,  and  generally  on  the  Continent,  the  circulation  of 
Prices  Current,  at  a  low  charge,  is  encouraged  by  the  Government,  and  we  are  of 
opinion  that  any  facility  which  can  be  given  for  the  transmission  of  mercantile 
information  must  tend  to  promote  the  commercial  interests  of  the  country ;  we 
therefore  beg  to  recommend  to  your  Lordships,  in  the  first  place,  that  English 
Prices  Current,  and  Publications  of  a  similar  nature  published  in  this  country,  be 
permitted  to  pass  through  the  medium  of  the  Post  Office  without  the  imposition 
of  a  charge  so  high  as  to  impede  their  general  circulation.  .  .  We  hope  .  .  . 
your  Lordships  may  find  it  practicable  to  permit  the  free  transmission  of  Prices 
Current  by  post,  if  printed  on  paper  bearing  a  halfpenny  stamp." — Fifth  Report 
of  Commissioners  (11th  April  183C),  pp.  3,  4. 


240  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

and  documents,  whether  wholly  or  partly  written,  containing 
communications  which  are  not  of  a  personal  character. 

Until  1856  such  papers  were  charged  at  the  same  rate 
as  letters.  This  rate  was  found  to  be  burdensome, ^  and  in 
1856  a  rate  of  1  centime  for  each  10  grammes  was  estab- 
lished— the  same  rate  as  that  for  samples  and  ordinary  printed 
matter — but  the  minimum  charge  was  fixed  at  50  centimes. 
In  1871  the  rate  was  altered  to  correspond  with  that  for 
samples.  It  now  became  30  centimes  for  the  first  50  grammes, 
and  10  centimes  for  each  further  50  grammes.  As  a  con- 
sequence of  the  adhesion  of  France  to  the  Universal  Postal 
Union,  the  rate,  together  with  that  for  samples,  was  changed 
in  1875  to  5  centimes  for  each  50  grammes.  The  discarding, 
in  the  case  of  papiers  d'affaires,  of  the  principle  of  a 
minimum  charge  equal  at  least  to  the  minimum  charge  for 
letters,  had  unfortunate  results.  It  has  been  found  extremely 
difficult  always  to  distinguish  between  documents  entitled  to 
be  regarded  as  papiers  d'affaires  and  documents  which  are  of 
a  personal  character,  and  therefore  subject  to  letter  postage. 
The  privilege  is  at  present  restricted  to  packets  weighing  not 
more  than  20  grammes,  and  the  rate  of  postage  is  5  centimes. 
Packets  weighing  more  than  20  grammes  are  subject  to 
letter  postage. 

The  number  of  packets  passing  as  papiers  d'affaires  in- 
creased rapidly,  but  still  forms  only  an  inconsiderable  fraction 
of  the  total  number  of  postal  packets.  In  1856  the  number 
was  39,747;  in  1889  it  exceeded  15  millions;  and  in  1913  it 
reached  58  millions. 

It  is  necessary  to  issue  a  long  and  detailed  list  showing 
the  kinds  of  documents  admissible  at  the  reduced  rate,  and 
the  difficulty  of  administering  the  rate  is    considerable. 

Gebmany 

(Geschdftspapiere) 

After  the  abolition  of  the  old  Prussian  Schriften  und 
Aktentaxe"^  in   1861,  neither  the  North   German   Band  nor 

^  ' '  Cette  assimilation  les  soumettait  h.  dcs  taxes  oxorbitantes ;  clle  provo- 
quait  la  fraudo,  et  multipliait  les  contraventions  au  monopole  de  la  poste." — 
P.  Jaccottey,  op.  cit.,  p.  319.  =  See  sujpra,  p.  225. 


MINOR  RATES  241 

the  Imperial  administration  granted  a  special  rate  for 
wholly  or  partly  handwritten  communications  which  were 
not  of  the  nature  of  personal  and  individual  correspondence. 
Either  letter  or  parcel  rate  must  be  paid  on  such  packets. 
In  the  international  service  the  rate  for  such  was  the  same 
as  the  rate  for  printed  matter,  and  the  unfavourable  position 
in  the  inland  service  in  this  respect  gave  rise  to  public 
complaints.  In  1900,  therefore,  a  special  class  of  packets, 
named  Geschdftspapiere,  was  introduced  in  the  internal  service 
of  the  German  Imperial  administration.  Papers  partly  or 
wholly  written,  but  not  of  the  nature  of  private  or  personal 
communications,  were  admissible  at  a  reduced  rate  of  postage.' 
Except  for  local  trafi&c  the  new  rates  were : — 

Not  exceeding  250  grammes         10  pf. 

250-500  grammes 20  pf. 

600  grammes  to  1  kilogramme  (maximum)       . .         . .     30  pf. 

Compared  with  the  total  postal  traffic  the  number  of  packets 
passing  at  the  reduced  rate  is  quite  small,  but  it  is  increasing, 
and  is  sufficiently  large  to  indicate  that  the  privilege  affords 
a  considerable  advantage  to  the  public. 

The  number  of  packets  of  Geschdftspapiere  was: — 

1904 10,793,020 

1907 10,789,200 

1910 23,032,220 

1913 34,328,950 

(IV)  POSTCARDS 

The  idea  of  postcards  originated  with  Dr.  H.  von  Stephan, 
who  submitted  a  proposal  for  their  introduction  at  the  meeting 
of  the  delegates  of  the  German  Postal  Union  at  Karlsruhe  in 

*  *'  Als  Geschiiftspapiere  sind  zu  gelassen  :  alle  Schrif tstiicke  und  Urkunden, 
ganz  Oder  teilweiso  mit  der  Hand  geschrieben  odor  gozeichnet,  wolche  nicht  die 
Eigonschaft  einer  eigentlichon  und  personlichen  Korrespondonz  haben,  wio  Pro- 
zossaktcn,  von  offentlichon  Beamten  aufgenommene  Urkunden  jedor  Art,  Fracht- 
briefo  oder  Ladeschoine,  Rechnungen,  Quittungen  auf  gestempelten  oder  ungo- 
stempelten  Papier,  die  verschiedenen  Dionstpapiers  der  Versicherungsgesoll- 
schaften,  Abschriften  oder  Ausziige  aussorgerichtlicher  Vertrage,  gleichviel  ob 
auf  gestempelten  oder  ungestempeiten  Papier  geschrieben,  handschriftliche  Par- 
tituren  oder  Notenblatter,  die  abgesondert  versandten  Manuskripte  von  Werken 
oder  Zeitungon,  korrigierte  Schiilerarbeiten  mit  Ausschluss  jeglichen  Urteils 
iiber  die  Arbeit,  Militarpiisse,  Lohn-,  Dienst  oder  Arbeitsbiicher,  u.s.w,  (§  d, 
Postordnung)." — Jf'inanzrArchiv,  1905,  vol.  ii.,  p.  180. 

17 


242  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

1865.  Dr.  von  Stephan  had  realized  that  the  ordinary  form 
of  the  letter  missive,  although  most  suitable  in  many  ways  for 
many  kinds  of  correspondence,  v^as  not  always  convenient. 
Much  commercial  correspondence  might  be  conducted  with 
briefer  and  less  formal  communications,  and  for  such  short  and 
urgent  messages  a  simple  and  less  costly  means  would  be 
welcomed. 

The  proposal  was  therefore  for  the  issue  of  cards  which 
should  be  addressed  on  the  front,  and  at  the  back  should  bear 
the  written  message.^  The  cards'  should  be  transmitted  un- 
enclosed. The  proposal  was  not  well  received  by  the 
delegates.  It  was,  however,  revived  in  1869  by  Professor 
Herrmann  of  Vienna,  who  brought  it  to  the  notice  of  the 
Austrian  postal  administration.  It  was  viewed  favourably 
by  that  administration,  and  the  cards  were  introduced  in  the 
Austrian  service  on  the  1st  October  1869,  being  sold  at  the 
price  of  5  kreuzer.  The  innovation  was  an  immediate  success, 
nearly  three  million  cards  being  sold  in  the  first  three  months ; 
and  following  on  this  success  the  cards  were  soon  introduced 
in  most  other  countries. 

Except  in  France,  and  for  the  first  two  years  in  Germany, 
the  rate  charged  has  from  the  first  been  one-half  the 
minimum  rate  for  letters.  In  France  the  minimum  for  post- 
cards bearing  ordinary  messages  has  never  been  less  than 
10  centimes.2    This  reduction  of  50  per  cent,  cannot  be  justified 

*  L*  Union  postale,  Berne,  1st  July  1876. 

'^  A  proposal  to  introduce  postcards  in  France  was  made  by  M.  Wolowski  in 
the  National  Assembly  on  the  23rd  August  1871,  in  the  debate  on  the  Bill  for 
raising  the  rates  of  postage.  The  proposal  was  rejected  on  account  of  the 
probable  effect  on  the  revenue.  The  cards  would  no  doubt  substitute  letters  to 
some  extent,  and  at  the  time,'^'of  course,  the  chief  object  in  view  was  an  increase 
of  revenue.  M.  Wolowski  repeated  his  proposal  in  1873  as  an  amendment  to  the 
Budget.  He  was  able  to  point  to  the  effect  in  England  of  the  introduction  of 
postcards — an  increase  of  6  per  cent,  in  the  number  of  letters,  as  compared  with 
an  increase  of  4  per  cent,  in  the  year  preceding  their  introduction.  The  pro- 
posal was  opposed  by  the  Budget  Commission  and  by  the  Government,  but  the 
amendment  was  voted  by  the  Assembly  and  was  incorporated  in  the  law  of  the 
20th  December  1872.  The  rate  of  postage  was  fixed  at  10  centimes  for  cards 
circulating  within  the  area  served  by  the  same  office  and  15  centimes  for  others. 
(The  minimum  letter  rate  was  at  this  time  15  centimes  for  letters  circulating  in 
the  area  served  by  the  same  office  and  25  centimes,^ f or  others.)  In  1878  the  rate 
was  made  uniform  at  10  centimes  for  all  cards.  This  rate  still  continues  in 
respect  of  cards  bearing  written  messages  in  the  nature  of  personal  communica- 
tions, but  it  has  been  reduced  to  5  centimes  iii  respect  of  picture  postcards  or 


MINOR   RATES  243 

on  any  ground  of  cheaper  handling.  The  manipulation  and 
conveyance  of  postcards  is  perhaps  slightly  less  expensive 
than  that  of  ordinary  light  letters,  but  any  such  difference  is 
small,  and  in  point  of  fact  postcards  are  usually  regarded  as 
causing  a  little  more  trouble  in  the  process  of  sorting.  For 
all  practical  purposes  it  may  safely  be  assumed  that  postcards 
and  ordinary  light  letters  involve  approximately  the  same 
cost  for  their  handling  and  transmission.^  This  difference  in 
the  rates  of  postage  charged  on  ordinary  light  letters  and 
postcards,  respectively,  is  therefore  either  a  standing  evidence 
of  the  fiscal  character  of  the  rate  for  light  letters,  or  of  the 
uneconomic  character  of  one  or  other  of  the  rates,  or  of  both. 

The  postcard  has  proved  immensely  popular.  Its  use  for 
formal  and  unconfidential  communications  is  a  great  con- 
venience. By  avoiding  the  necessity  for  folding  and  enclosing 
in  envelopes,  time  is  saved  in  the  making  up  of  correspon- 
dence for  the  post ;  and  the  saving  in  postage  when  a  quantity 
is  sent  out  is  very  considerable.  The  cards  are  a  convenience 
also  in  the  practical  working  of  the  Post  Office  service.  Their 
use  diminishes  both  the  weight  and  bulk  of  the  mails  ;  on 
account  of  their  lightness  and  uniformity  of  size  and  shape 
large  numbers  can  be  packed  together  in  small  space.  In  this 
respect  they  contrast  strongly  with  the  irregularly  shaped 
packets  of  books  or  of  general  merchandise,  which  represent 
the  maximum  of  encumbrance  to  Post  Office  working.  The 
introduction  of  the  picture  postcard  gave  a  great  impetus  to 
the  use  of  this  means  of  correspondence.  Except  in  France, 
the  traffic  has  assumed  large  dimensions.  In  the  United 
Kingdom  in  1913-14  the  total  number  of  postcards  was  about 
926,000,000,  while  the  total  number  of  packets  passing  at  the 
letter  rate  was  about  3,478,000,000.2 

commercial  advertisement  cards  which  do  not  bear  a  written  communication  of 
more  than  five  words.  The  circulation  of  postcards  is  naturally  much  re- 
stricted, and  the  reduction  of  the  general  rate  to  5  centimes  is  much  desired. 
There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  discussion  of  the  matter  by  the  parliamentary 
Budget  Commissions,  but  financial  considerations  have  so  far  prevented  the 
concession  of  this  boon. 

'  See  infra,  pp.  303-4;  cf.  C.  H.  Hull,  op.  cit.,  p.  146. 

2  Annual  Bejoort  of  Postmaster-General,  1913-14,  p.  1, 


244  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

(V)  RATE   FOR   PRINTED   MATTER  FOR 
THE    BLIND 

The  low  rate  for  matter  printed  in  raised  type  for  the  use  of 
the  blind  is  a  purely  philanthropic  concession. ^ 
In  the  United  Kingdom  the  rates  are  : — 

For  a  packet  not  exceeding  2  ounces  in  weight Jd. 

„           exceeding  2  ounces  and  not  exceeding  5  lb.          . .       Id. 
5  1b.  „  „  6  1b 2d. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  initial  penny  rate  is  maintained 
(the  2  ounces  for  Jd.  being  merely  the  ordinary  printed  matter 
rate),  but  a  comparison  with  the  ordinary  parcel  post  rates 
(see  Chapter  III)  will  show  that  if,  as  there  is  reason  to 
believe,  those  rates  are  unremunerative,  the  rates  for  literature 
for  the  blind  must  involve  a  heavy  loss  on  each  packet.  The 
number  of  packets  is,  however,  only  some  300,000  per  annum. 

Similar  low  rates  are  in  operation  in  other  countries.  In 
the  United  States  packets  containing  matter  of  this  kind  are 
carried  free. 


(VI)   MINOR  RATES   IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 
AND   CANADA 

In  the  United  States  and  Canada  a  special  method  of  differ- 
entiating rates  of  postage  has  been  adopted.  All  postal  traffic 
is  termed  ''mail  matter,"  and  is  classified  in  four  groups,  to 
each  of  which  is  applied  an  appropriate  rate.  The  classifi- 
cation, which  is  almost  identical  in  the  two  countries,  is  based 
partly  on  the  general  character  of  the  packets  (size,  shape, 
etc.),  but  more  largely  on  certain  general  principles  of 
administration,  and  on  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  contents. 
Thus  the  ordinary  letter,  which  is  the  most  important  and 
valuable  traffic,  is  placed  in  the  first  class  of  mail  matter, 
and  is  charged  the  highest  rate.  Newspapers  and  periodicals, 
which  are  regarded  as  of  great  importance  in  aiding  the 
education  and  enlightenment  of  the  people,  are  placed  in  the 

^  E.g.,  "As  to  books  for  the  blind,  there  can  be  only  one  opinion.  The 
afflicted  must  be  looked  after  before  anybody  else." — Sir  Adolpho  Caron,  ParliQ- 
mentary  Debates,  Canada  {Commons),  13tb  Majr  189§, 


MINOR  RATES  245 

second  class  of  mail  matter  and  are  given  the  lowest  rate.^ 
Books  and  all  other  printed  matter,  commercial  papers,  post- 
cards, etc.,  are  regarded  as  of  less  importance  than  letters, 
and  are  deemed  to  be  less  entitled  to  encouragement  from  the 
State  in  their  distribution,  but  still  entitled  to  preferential 
treatment  as  compared  with  packets  containing  miscellaneous 
articles.  They  are  accordingly  placed  in  the  third  class  of 
mail  matter,  and  are  given  a  rate  intermediate  between  that 
of  the  first  class  and  that  of  the  second.  All  other  articles 
sent  by  post — the  residuum  of  postal  packets — are  placed 
together  in  a  fourth  class  of  mail  matter,  to  which  is  applied 
a  rate  higher  than  the  third-class  rate,  but  considerably 
lower  than  the  first-class  rate.^ 

The  rates  for  first-class  matter  (letters)  and  second-class 
matter  (newspapers  and  periodicals)  in  the  United  States 
have  been  dealt  with.  They  may  be  repeated  here  for 
purposes  of  comparison :  the  rate  for  letters  is  1  cent  for 
each  2  ounces  or  fraction  of  2  ounces ;  the  rate  for  news- 
papers is  1  cent  a  pound  or  fraction  thereof  when  sent  from 
publisher    to    subscriber — when    sent    otherwise   the   rate    is 

1  cent  for  every  4  ounces.  On  third-class  matter  the  rate 
is  1  cent  for  each  2  ounces  or  fraction  thereof,  and  on  fourth- 
class  matter  the  rate  is  1  cent  for  every  ounce  or  fraction 
of  an  ounce.  With  the  view  of  encouraging  agriculture, 
seeds,  cuttings,  bulbs,  scions,  roots,  and  plants  are  given 
the  same  rate  as  ordinary  printed   matter  in  the  third  class. 

In   Canada    the   rate    of    postage   on   first-class   matter  is 

2  cents  per  ounce  or  fraction  of  an  ounce,  except  on  post- 
cards, for  which  the  rate  is  1  cent,  and  local  or  **  drop " 
letters,  on  which  the  rate  is  also  1  cent  {supra,  p.  255).     On 

^  Cf.  supra.  Chapter  II. 

=*  *'InlaQd  post  comprehends  all  matter  deposited  in  a  post  office  in  Canada 
for  delivery  either  from  the  same  or  from  any  other  post  office  in  Cajiada. 

•♦  Such  matter  is  divided  into  four  classes : — 

"  (1)  Letters,  postcards,  and  all  matter  cither  wholly  or  partly  in  writing  or 
typewriting,  except  the  manuscript  of  books  or  newspapers  and  certain  docu- 
ments of  the  Dominion  and  Provincial  Governments  and  of  Municipal 
Authorities,  which  belong  to  Class  3. 

"  (2)  Newspapers  and  periodicals. 

"  (3)  Printed  matter  not  included  in  Class  2,  samples,  and  certain  miscellaneous 
matter. 

"(4)  Merchandise.'— Canaf2a  Official  Postal  Guide,  1912,  p.  4. 


246  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

second-class  matter  the  rate  is  J  cent  a  pound  when  posted 
by  publishers  to  subscribers,  otherwise  1  cent  for  each 
4  ounces  or  fraction  thereof.  On  general  third-class  matter 
(including  samples)  the  rate  is  1  cent  for  each  2  ounces  or 
fraction  thereof :  a  special  rate  of  2  cents  for  the  first  4  ounces 
and  1  cent  for  each  additional  4  ounces  or  fraction  thereof 
is  given  for  seeds,  cuttings,  roots,  bedding-plants,  scions,  or 
grafts.  The  object  of  this  privilege  is  evident.  The  rate 
on  fourth-class  matter  is  1  cent  for  each  ounce  or  fraction 
thereof. 

These  rates  have  not  been  calculated  with  reference  to 
the  cost  of  the  service  in  each  case.  Classification  was 
introduced  in  the  United  States  Postal  Service  as  far  back  as 
1863,  but  until  1906  no  attempt  had  been  made  to  apportion 
the  total  cost  between  the  various  classes.  The  estimate  then 
made  showed  that  the  second-class  mail  involved  a  heavy  loss, 
probably  equal  to  six  or  seven  times  the  rate  of  postage.^ 

'^  See  supra,  p.  158. 


V 
LOCAL  RATES 


United  Kingdom 


Local  postal  services,  providing  for  the  delivery  of  local 
letters  at  reduced  rates  of  postage,  existed  in  the  United 
Kingdom  over  a  long  period.  The  first  service  was  estab- 
lished in  London  in  1680.  Up  to  this  time  the  business 
of  the  Post  Office  had  been  restricted  to  the  transmission  of 
letters  between  the  post  towns,  and  no  rate  of  postage  existed 
except  in  respect  of  letters  sent  over  appreciable  distances.^ 
The  idea  of  a  local  service  seems  to  have  originated  with  a 
Mvi  Kobert  Murray ;  but  the  London  local  post  was  actually 
established  by  William  Dockwra,  "a  merchant,  a  Native  and 
Citizen  of  London,  formerly  one  of  his  Majesty's  Sub- 
Searchers  in  the  Custom  House  of  London."  Other  citizens 
of  London  were  concerned  in  the  undertaking,  which  was 
established  without  reference  to  the  authorities  of  the  Post 
Office,  and  was  intended  to  be  purely  a  private  commercial 
undertaking. 2 

Under  Dockwra's  scheme  London,  with  Westminster  and 
the  suburbs,  was  divided  into  seven  districts  or  "precincts," 
in  each  of  which  was  a  ''  sorting  house."  Scattered  over 
the  City  and  suburbs  were  from  four  hundred  to  five  hundred 
receiving  houses  for  the  taking-in  of  letters.  Messengers 
called  at  the  houses  for  letters  every  hour.  Letters  and 
parcels  not  exceeding  1  pound  in  weight  or  £10  in  value 
were  accepted  and  conveyed  at  the  uniform  charge  of  Id., 
payable  in  advance. 

'  Sec  i7ifra,  pp.  336-7. 

^  aee  The  Practical  Metfiod  of  the  Penny  Post,  London,  1681. 

247 


248  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

The  service  was  not  restricted  to  letters  for  delivery  within 
the  London  area  and  the  surrounding  district.  Letters  which 
were  to  be  transmitted  through  the  General  Post^  were  ac- 
cepted at  any  of  the  receiving  offices,  and  conveyed  to  the 
General  Post  Office  in  Lombard  Street ;  and  letters  received  in 
London  by  the  General  Post  were  delivered  by  the  penny 
post,  if  for  places  outside  the  General  Post  delivery.^  This 
facility  proved  of  much  advantage  to  the  public,  and  led  to  a 
large  increase  in  the  number  of  General  Post  letters.  When 
well  established,  Dockwra's  new  system  proved  profitable 
and  attracted  the  attention  of  the  authorities  of  the  General 
Post  Office.  They  contended  that  the  service  was  an  in- 
fringement of  the  monopoly  conferred  on  the  Postmasters- 
General  by  the  Act  of  1660,3  and  in  1683,  at  the  instance  of 
the  Duke  of  York,  in  whom  were  vested  the  profits  of  the 
General  Post  Office,  an  action  was  brought  against  Dockwra 
to  restrain  him  from  continuing  a  breach  of  the  privilege  of 
the  Postmasters-General.  Dockwra  was  ordered  by  the  court 
to  pay  nominal  damages,  and  was  forbidden  to  continue  his 
penny  post. 

The  post  was  not,  however,  abolished,  but  was  taken  over 
and  managed  by  the  Postmasters-General.  Although  the 
service  had  been  decided  to  fall  within  their  monopoly,  the 
rates  charged  rested  on  no  legal  authority.  No  statute 
authorized  the  conveyance  anywhere  of  letters  at  the  rate  of 
Id.  No  authority  existed  for  any  rate  below  the  minimum 
General  Post  rate  of  2d.,  under  the  Act  of  1660,  a  state  of 
affairs  which  continued  until  the  passing  of  the  Act  of  1711. 
A  penny  rate  of  postage  was  then  fixed  for  all  letters  "passing 
or  repassing  by  the  carriage  called  the  Penny  Post,  established 
and  settled  within  the  cities  of  London  and  Westminster, 
and  borough  of  Southwark,  and  parts  adjacent,  and  to  be 
received  and  delivered  within  10  English  miles  distant  from 
the  General  Post  Office  in  London."  4  At  first  the  service 
had  included  only  the  cities  of  London  and  Westminster,  the 

'  The  "  General  Post "  was  the  term  applied  to  the  service  throughout  the 
country  as  distinguished  from  local  services. 

=  The  General  Post  Office  only  provided  for  the  delivery  of  letters  within  a 
restricted  area.  See  Ninth  Report  of  Cormnissioners  of  Post  Office  Iriquiry,  1837, 
p.  5. 

3  12  Car.  II,  cap.  35,  §  2.  -♦  9  Anne,  cap.  10,  §  6. 


LOCAL  RATES  249 

borough  of  Southwark,  and  the  immediate  suburbs ;  but  the 
residents  in  the  neighbouring  towns  and  villages,  recognizing 
the  advantage  of  the  system,  soon  asked  that  it  might  be 
extended  to  include  their  respective  localities,  voluntarily 
agreeing  to  pay  an  additional  penny  on  delivery,  on  each 
letter.  This  further  charge  was  at  first  appropriated  by 
the  messengers  as  their  remuneration;  but  as  the  amount 
received  by  them  in  this  way  was  found  to  exceed  what 
might  fairly  be  regarded  as  reasonable  wages,  the  second 
penny  was  in  1687  made  part  of  the  ordinary  revenue  of 
the  Post  Office.  There  was,  however,  no  legal  authority 
for  the  collection  of  this  additional  charge,  which  remained 
a  voluntary  payment  until  1730.' 

The  limit  of  weight  for  packets  sent  by  the  penny  post 
was  also  extended,  parcels  of  considerable  size  and  weight 
being  accepted.  The  rate  of  postage,  however,  remained 
uniform  at  a  penny.  One  of  the  charges  against  Dockwra 
in  later  years,  when  he  was  dismissed  from  the  office  of 
Comptroller  of  the  Penny  Post,  to  which  he  had  been 
appointed  under  William  III,  was  that  he  forbade  the 
taking  in  of  any  but  very  .small  band-boxes,  and  all  parcels 
over  1  pound  in  weight.^ 

The  penny  post  was  found  to  be  a  great  convenience  to 
Londoners  and  dwellers  in  the  vicinity. 3  It  facilitated  both 
local  intercourse  and,  through  its  connection  with  the 
General  Post,  general  intercourse  with  all  parts  of  the 
country.  It  was  also  advantageous  in  a  way  which  was 
not  satisfactory  to  the  Postmaster-General.  For  some  years 
before  its  establishment  there  had  been  much  difficulty  from 
the  evasion  of  postage  resulting  from  the  illicit  transmission  of 
letters.  Carriers,  especially,  made  a  business  of  the  conveyance 
of  letters.    The  difficulty  had  been  so  serious  that  in  the  reigns 

^  4  Goo.  II,  cap.  33.     See  D.  Macpherson,  op,  cit.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  169. 

""  Ninth  Report  of  the  Commissio7iers  of  Post  Office  Inquiry,  1837,  pp.  1  and  2. 

3  •'  Wo  have  said  that  to  us  who  live  at  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century  it  may 
appear  incredible  that  up  to  April  1680  the  General  Post  Office  in  Lombard  Street 
was  the  only  receptacle  for  letters  in  the  whole  of  Londoii*  But  it  is  by  no  means 
certain  that  our  descendants  may  not  think  it  more  incredible  still  that  London, 
with  all  its  boasted  progress,  has  only  now  recovered  a  post  which,  in  point  of 
convenience  and  cheapness,  at  all  approaches  that  which  an  enterprising  citizen 
established  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago." — H.  Joyce,  History  of  the  Post 
Office,  pp.  41,  42. 


250  RATES  OF  POSTAGE       - 

both  of  Charles  II  and  of  James  II  special  officers  had  been 
appointed  whose  duty  it  was  to  search  any  person  or  vehicle 
suspected  of  carrying  clandestine  mails.  The  establishment 
of  the  penny  post  led  to  a  very  large  development  of  this 
traffic.  Previously,  when  the  carriers  arrived  with  the  letters, 
there  was  no  means  at  their  disposal  for  effecting  distribu- 
tion and  delivery  within  London,  other  than  by  themselves 
delivering  the  letters  individually,  or  by  employing  special 
messengers,  or,  in  the  last  resort,  by  employing  the  General 
Post,  to  avoid  whose  charge  was  the  whole  object  of  en- 
trusting letters  to  the  carriers.  The  penny  post  removed 
this  difficulty,  and  the  public  were  not  slow  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  opportunity  afforded.^ 

The  penny  post  did  not,  however,  mark  the  limit  of  possi- 
bility in  the  way  of  cheap  postal  facilities.  In  1708  Charles 
Povey  established  a  halfpenny  post  in  London,  and  found 
this  low  rate  profitable.  His  undertaking,  like  that  of 
Dockwra,  proved  to  be  an  infringement  of  the  monopoly  of 
the  Postmasters-General,  and  was  suppressed  within  a  few 
months,  although  Povey  was  very  reluctant  to  discontinue 
his  service. 2 

The  London  penny  post  was  for  a  long  period  the  only  local 
post  in  the  kingdom.  Its  advantages  were,  however,  generally 
recognized,  and  the  Post  Office  Act  of  1765  3  gave  to  the 
Postmasters-General  power  to  establish  penny  posts  in  any 
town  where  that  course  seemed  to  them  expedient.  Under 
this  authority  numerous  penny  posts  were  established  in  all 
parts  of  the  country.  As  many  as  202  such  penny  posts  were 
established  between  1830  and  1837.  They  were  established 
only  when  it  could  be  reasonably  anticipated  that  the  yield  of 

^  •'  No  stage-coach  entered  London  without  the  driver's  pockets  being  stuffed 
with  letters  and  packets,  and  he  was  moderate  indeed  if  he  had  not  a  bagful 
besides.  The  waggoner  outstripped  his  waggon  and  the  carrier  his  pack-horse  : 
and  each  brought  his  contribution.  The  higgler's  wares  were  the  merest  pretext. 
It  was  to  the  letters  and  packets  that  he  looked  for  profit," — H.  Joyce,  ibid. ,  p.  55. 

'  When  threatened  by  the  Postmasters-General  with  prosecution  "  according 
to  the  utmost  rigour  of  the  law,"  he  replied,  according  to  their  account,  that  "  ho 
should  not  be  so  unjust  to  himself  as  to  lay  down  his  undertaking  at  our  demand, 
that  his  case  was  not  as  Mr.  Dockwra's  was,  neither  did  we  live  under  such  a 
constitution  as  he  did  when  the  penny  post  was  first  set  up  (that  is,  an  arbitrary 
government  and  bribed  judges)." — Ninth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  of  Post 
Office  Inquiry,  1837,  p.  71. 

3  5  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25,  §  11. 


LOCAL  RATES  251 

the  penny  postage  would  cover  the  expenses  of  the  service ; 
but  when  once  established  they  were  not  usually  discontinued, 
even  if  the  revenue  fell  below  the  expenses.^  Like  the 
London  penny  post,  these  local  services  included  the  area 
surrounding  the  town  in  each  case.  For  transmission  within 
a  penny  post  area  the  rate  of  postage  was  Id. ;  for  transmission 
to  another  such  area  the  general  rate  was  charged  in  addition ; 
and  another  penny  was  charged  in  respect  of  the  second 
penny  post. 

The  conveyance  of  parcels  ceased  in  1765.  The  Act  of 
that  year  ^  forbade  the  transmission  by  the  penny  post  of  any 
packet  over  4  ounces  in  weight  unless  it  had  passed,  or  was 
intended  afterwards  to  pass,  by  the  General  Post.  During 
all  this  period,  however,  the  people  of  London  enjoyed  an 
efficient  postal  service  which  in  point  of  lowness  of  charges 
was  in  advance  of  anything  they  have  enjoyed  since,  unless 
the  privileges  of  the  postcard  and  the  halfpenny  post,  that  is, 
of  a  rate  half  the  minimum  (and  only)  rate  of  the  penny  post, 
can  be  set  against  the  cheap  transmission  of  considerable 
packages  by  the  old  service. 

A  further  Act  of  1794  3  empowered  the  Postmasters-General 
at  th-eir  discretion  to  extend  the  limits  of  the  post  beyond  the 
10-mile  circle  prescribed  by  the  Act  of  1711.  No  additional 
postage  was  imposed  on  letters  delivered  beyond  the  10-mile 
circle.  Under  the  Act  of  1730  the  charge  would  be  2d.  An 
additional  rate  of  Id.  was,  however,  imposed  on  all  letters 
posted  within  the  extended  limits  and  beyond  the  10-mile 
circle ;  and  also  on  all  letters  posted  without  the  original  limits 
of  the  penny  post  and  delivered  within  those  limits,  i.e.  the 
cities  of  London  and  Westminster,  and  the  borough  of  South- 
wark,  with  their  suburbs.  By  this  Act  prepayment  of  postage, 
hitherto  compulsory  in  the  penny  post,  was  made  optional. 

An  Act  of  1801 4  raised  to  2d.  the  rate  for  letters  passing  by 
the  penny  post,  whether  or  not  they  were  to  pass  by  the 
General  Post,  within  the  original  limits  of  the  penny  post. 
For  letters  passing  l)y  the  penny  post,  posted  or  delivered 
outside  the  original  limits,  no  additional  rate  was  prescribed. 

*  Ninth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  of  Post  Office  Inquiry,  1837,  p.  G6. 
^  5  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  25,  §  14.  3  34  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  17. 

<  41  Goo.  Ill,  cap.  7. 


252  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

The  charge  was  already  2d. ;  and  the  rate  of  postage  on  letters 
passing  by  the  London  local  post  therefore  now  became 
uniformly  2d.  Henceforward  the  service  was  known  as  the 
"  twopenny  post." 

The  Act  of  1801  contained  an  important  clause  (clause  5)  of 
general  application,  providing  that  the  Postmasters-General 
might  at  discretion  undertake  the  conveyance  and  delivery 
of  letters  ''  directed  to  persons  abiding  in  towns,  villages,  and 
places  (not  being  post-towns),"  for  such  sums  as  might  be 
agreed  upon  between  the  Postmasters- General  and  the  in- 
habitants. Under  this  provision  it  was  found  possible  to 
extend  the  service  to  a  considerable  number  of  places.^ 

An  Act  of  1805 2  imposed  an  additional  charge  of  Id.,  making 
3d.  in  all,  on  letters  sent  by  the  twopenny  post  and  not 
passing  by  the  General  Post,  directed  to  or  sent  from  places 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  General  Post  delivery ;  and  on  every 
letter  passing  by  the  General  Post  and  directed  to  places 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  General  Post  delivery,  and  delivered 
by  the  twopenny  post,  an  additional  charge  of  2d.3  There 
were  now,  in  reality,  two  local  posts  in  the  London  area — the 
twopenny  post,  for  letters  transmitted  between  places  within 
the  limits  of  the  delivery  of  the  General  Post ;  and  the  three- 
penny post,  for  letters  directed  to  or  sent  from  places  within 
the  limits  of  the  local  service,  but  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
General  Post  delivery.  In  1831  the  limits  of  delivery  of 
the  twopenny  post  were  extended  to  include  all  places 
within  a  radius  of  3  miles  of  the  General  Post  Office ; 
and  in  1833  the  limits  of  the  threepenny  post  were  extended 
to  include  all  places  beyond  the  3-mile  limit,  and  not 
exceeding  12  miles  from  the  General  Post  Office.4  No  further 
modifications  of  importance  were  made  before  the  establish- 
ment of  uniform  penny  postage. 

'  Ninth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  of  Post  Office  Inquiry,  1837,  p.  6. 

»  45  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  11.  3  Clause  1. 

*  These  changes  followed  the  recommondations  of  the  Commissioners  of 
Revenue  Inquiry,  who,  in  their  Twenty-first  Report  (1830),  remarked  strongly 
on  the  intricacy  and  confusion  of  the  boundaries  of  the  posts  in  London,  viz. 
the  General  Post,  the  Foreign  Post,  the  twopenny  post  (town  delivery),  and 
the  twopenny  post  (country  delivery).  All  these  had  different  delivery  areas, 
and  in  addition  there  was  the  "  threepenny  post  town  delivery,"  comprising  the 
area  lying  between  the  limits  of  the  General  Post  delivery  and  those  of  the  town 
delivery  of  the  twopenny  post. 


LOCAL  RATES  253 

The  introduction  of  a  uniform  rate  of  postage  for  the  whole 
country  of  Id.,  only  half  the  lowest  rate  which  had  been 
charged  in  the  London  local  post,  obviously  made  unnecessary 
the  continuance  of  that  post,  and  also  of  the  penny  posts 
scattered  up  and  down  the  country ;  or  rather  extended  to 
the  whole  country  the  benefit  of  rates  based  on  items  of 
local  cost  only,  since  the  system  of  uniform  postage  irre- 
spective of  distance  rests  on  the  recognition  of  the  preponder- 
ating cost  of  the  local  or  terminal  services,  and  the  relatively 
insignificant  cost  per  letter  of  the  service — conveyance  from 
place  to  place — which  depends  on  the  distance  of  transmission. 

Financially  the  London  penny  and  twopenny  posts  were 
always  successful.  Under  the  penny  rate  the  profits  had 
approached  half  the  gross  receipts — in  1800  they  were  43  per 
cent. — and  under  the  twopenny  rate  at  once  rose  to  more  than 
60  per  cent.,  in  1825  reaching  G7  per  cent.  The  net  revenue, 
which  in  1801  under  the  penny  rate  was  £16,286,  had  in  1837 
under  the  twopenny  rate  risen  to  i^73,334.^ 

Canada 

Special  local  rates  have  from  quite  early  dates  been  in 
operation  in  America.  If  in  England  the  lowest  rate  fixed  for 
General  Post  letters  had  been  found  too  high  to  afford  reason- 
able accommodation  for  the  public  in  London  and  other  cities, 
it  may  well  be  imagined  that  the  lowest  rate  in  Canada, 
gauged  as  it  was  to  the  needs  of  a  service  which  should  cover 

'  The  following  statement  shows  the  rates  charged  in  the  twopenny  post  : — 

"  For  every  letter  transmitted  by  such  Post  within  the  limits  of 
delivery  for  the  time  being  of  the  General  Post  2d. 

"For  every  letter  transmitted  by  such  Post  between  a  place  within 
the  said  limits  and  any  place  beyond  the  same,  or  between  places,  both 
of  which  are  beyond  the  said  limits  3d. 

'*  And  for  every  letter  originally  sent  by  the  General  Post  directed  to 
places  beyond  the  said  limits,  and  for  every  letter  originally  sent  by 
the  Twopenny  Post,  and  afterwards  passing  through  the  General  Post,     * 
in  addition  to  all  other  rates  chargeable  thereon  2d. 

*'  Newspapers  sent  by  the  Twopenny  Post,  and  not  passing  or  in- 
tended to  pass  by  the  General  Post,  are  charged  each Id. 

'•  But  newspapers  by  the  General  Post  and  delivered  by  the  Twopenny  Post, 
received  by  the  Twopenny  Post  and  afterwards  passing  by  the  General  Post, 
have,  since  August  1836,  been  exempted  from  postage."— ZVin^/i  Report  of  the 
Qommjissioncrs  of  Post  Office  Inquiry ^  1837,  p.  4, 


254  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

a  country  of  vast  area  and  ill-provided  with  roads,  would  be 
found  altogether  high  for  local  letters.  Moreover,  in  most 
places  no  sort  of  delivery  service  existed.  Local  letters  could 
only  be  placed  in  the  post  office  to  be  called  for  by  the  persons 
to  whom  they  were  addressed.  In  Canada  the  actual  cost  of 
the  conveyance  of  the  mail  was  consequently  disproportion- 
ately high  compared  with  other  expenses  of  the  service,  and 
the  justice  of  a  lower  rate  for  such  letters  as  obtained  no 
benefit  from  that  expenditure  naturally  suggested  itself.  The 
lowest  rate  fixed  by  the  Act  of  1765  for  transmission  within 
Canada  of  a  single  letter  was  4d.,  and,  rather  than  charge  such 
a  rate  on  local  letters,  the  deputies  in  Nova  Scotia  allowed 
such  letters  to  be  deposited  in  the  post  office  free. 

At  Confederation  a  special  rate  for  local  letters  of  1  cent 
per  J  ounce  was  established.  At  this  time  there  was  still  no 
authorized  house-to-house  delivery  of  letters  in  any  part  of 
Canada,  and  local  letters  were  actually  what  they  are  always 
termed,  viz.  "drop"  letters.  They  were  letters  dropped  into 
the  post  office  letter-box  and  handed  out  at  the  office  to  the 
addressee  on  application.  When  in  1875  delivery  by  letter- 
carrier  was  introduced  in  certain  towns,  the  drop-letter  rate 
was  not  disturbed.  It  was  thought,  however,  that  a  postage 
charge  of  1  cent  was  not  sufficient  to  cover  the  cost  of  the 
service  of  delivery  at  the  place  of  address,  performed  by  an 
expensive  establishment  of  letter-carriers ;  and  in  1889,  on  that 
ground,  though  much  against  the  wishes  of  the  mercantile 
community,  the  rate  was  raised  to  2  cents  an  ounce  in  cities 
and  towns  where  the  system  of  delivery  by  letter-carrier  was 
established,  the  existing  rate  of  1  cent  per  J  ounce  being  con- 
tinued in  other  cities  and  towns. 

The  ordinary  letter  rate  was  still  3  cents.  This  change 
therefore  left  all  local  letters  with  a  lower  rate  than  ordinary 
letters.  I 

The  2-cent  rate  proved  to  be  too  high.  Much  dissatisfac- 
tion resulted,  and  evasions  were  constant.     In  defiance  of  the 

»  *'  It  is  on  this  principle  that  it  has  been  found  that  where  a  letter  has  been 
dropped  into  the  post  ofBice  in  a  city,  and  delivered  by  a  letter-carrier,  it  does 
not  pay  to  deliver  it  for  1  cent,  which  is  just  half  the  rate  charged  in  any  other 
country  in  the  world ;  and  this  provision  is  to  assimilate  the  rate  to  that  pre- 
vailing in  other  countries." — Mr.  Haggart,  Parliamentary  Debates,  Canard/ 
{Commons),  9th  April  1889. 


LOCAL   RATES  255 

law,  which  conferred  on  the  Postmaster-General  the  monopoly 
of  the  carriage  of  letters,  merchants  made  arrangements  for 
the  transmission  and  delivery  by  their  private  messengers  of 
their  letters  for  local  delivery.  The  evil  assumed  such  pro- 
portions that  the  suppression  of  the  private  carriage  of  local 
letters  was  deemed  out  of  question,  and  the  Government 
concluded  that  the  only  satisfactory  solution  of  the  difficulty 
was  the  re-introduction  of  the  general  1  cent  drop-letter  rate.^ 
So  great  was  the  number  of  drop  letters  sent  otherwise  than 
through  the  Post  Office  that  no  actual  loss  of  revenue  was 
anticipated  from  a  reduction  of  the  rate,  which  should  bring 
back  those  letters  to  the  post.  This  anticipation  was  more 
than  realized.  In  a  very  short  time  after  the  passing  of  the 
Act  of  1898  legalizing  the  reduction  to  1  cent,  the  gross 
revenue  from  local  letters  surpassed  that  obtained  under  the 
2-cent  rate. 

Feance 

In  1658  a  local  service  {la  petite  poste)  was  established  in 
Paris  by  M.  Velayer.  He  obtained  from  the  King  the  ex- 
clusive privilege  of  erecting  letter-boxes,  which  were  opened 
three  times  daily,  in  various  parts  of  the  city ,2  and  set  up 
an  office  in  the  royal  palace  at  which  tickets  bearing  the 
words  '*  Port-paye  le  .  .  .  du  .  .  .  de  I'an  1653 "  might  be 
purchased  at  the  price  of  a  sou.  No  money  was  paid  to  the 
letter-carrier  by  persons  posting  or  receiving  letters.  A  label 
was  affixed  to  the  letter,  which  was  then  delivered  without 
further  charge. 3  The  service  was  not  a  success  and  was 
discontinued. 

'  "  Wg  have*been  influenced  to  make  this  change  from  the  fact  that  in  large 
cities  and  towns  the  departmental  stores,  the  manufacturing  establishments, 
and  other  concerns  which  do  a  large  postal  business,  use  the  messenger  service 
to  deliver  their  letters  as  they  found  it  cheaper,  and  in  this  way  a  largo  amount 
of  revenue  was  lost  to  the  Post  Office.  .  .  .  Several  firms  will  amalgamate  their 
messenger  service,  employing  say  five  or  ten  boys,  to  whom  they  will  pay  1  cent 
or  ^  cent  for  each  letter,  and  in  that  way  they  will  make  a  profit.  Of  course, 
this  action  on  their  part  is  illegal,  but  it  is  one  of  those  illegalities  that  we  can 
hardly  prosecute,  and  we  thought  it  was  better  to  adopt  the  uniform  1-cont  rate 
which  we  had  formerly."— Hon.  R.  Lemieux  (Postmaster-General),  Parliamentary 
Debates,  Canada  {Commons),  16th  Juno  1908. 

'  A.  de  Rothschild,  Histoire  de  la  Poste  aux  Lettres,  Paris,  1879,  p.  98. 

3  "16  aout  1653. — On  fait  k  syavoir  k  tous  coux  qui  voudront  6crire  d'un 
quartier  de  Paris  en  un  autre,  que  leurs  lettres,  billots  ou  m^moires  soront 


256  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

In  1759  a  local  postal  service  was  re-established  in  Paris 
by  M.  de  Chamousset.  The  new  service  was  avowedly  in 
imitation  of  the  London  penny  post.  The  rate  was  2  sous 
for  a  letter  not  exceeding  1  ounce  in  weight,  delivered  in 
Paris,  and  3  sous  if  delivered  in  surrounding  villages  not 
served  by  the  general  post.  This  venture  proved  more 
successful  than  the  earlier  service  of  M.  Velayer.  At  the 
outset  it  employed  about  two  hundred  men,  and  the  profits 
for  the  first  year  were  50,000  Hvres.  But  its  founder,  M. 
de  Chamousset,  met  with  no  better  fate  than  Dockwra,  the 
founder  of  its  prototype.  Such  large  profits  could  not  escape 
the  notice  of  the  Government,  and  the  service  was  taken 
over  by  the  King,  Chamousset  being  given  a  pension  of 
20,000  livres  as  its  inventor.'  The  service  was  continued, 
and  its  success  led  to  the  establishment  of  similar  local 
services  in  other  towns — Bordeaux,  Lille,  Lyons,  Nancy, 
Marseilles,  Montpellier,  Nantes,  Kouen,  Strasburg,  etc.^ 

The  ordinary  letter  rate  in  France  remained  at  a  moder- 
ately high  level  until  a  comparatively  late  date,  and  a  special 
rate  for  local  letters  continued  until  1878.  In  that  year  the 
ordinary  rate  for  letters  was  reduced  to  15  centimes,  the 
level  of  the  existing  local  rate,  and  since  that  time  local 
letters  have  enjoyed  no  special  privilege  in  France. 

Germany 

In  Germany  the  delivery  of  local  letters  in  towns  was  for  a 
long  period  conducted  as  a  private  undertaking  of  the  post- 
master or  letter-carrier.     Between  1842  and  1852  it  was  made 

fidelGment  port^s  et  diligemment  rendus  k  leur  addresse,  et  qu'ils  en  auront 
promptement  responce,  pourvu  que  lorsqu'ils  cscrirout,  ils  mettent  avec  leurs 
lottres  un  billet  qui  portera  :  port-paye,  parce  que  Ton  ne  prendra  point  d'argent ; 
lequel  billet  sera  attach^  k  la  dite  lettre,  ou  mis  autour  de  la  lettre  ou  passe  dans 
ou  en  telle  autre  mani^re  qu'ils  trouveront  a  propos,  de  telle  sorte  neaumoius 
que  le  commis  lo  puisse  voir  et  oter  aisemont.  La  date  sera  remplis  du  jour  ou 
du  mois  qu'il  sera  envoy e.  Le  commis  general  qui  sera  au  Palais  rendra  de  ces 
billets  de  port-paye  a  ceux  qui  en  voudront  avoir,  pour  le  prix  d'un  sol  marqu4 ; 
et  chacun  est  adverti  d'en  acheter  pour  sa  necessite  le  nombro  qu'il  lui  plaira, 
afin  que  lorsqu'on  voudra  escrire,  I'on  ne  manque  pas  pour  si  peu  de  chose  a  faire 
ses  affaires."  —  Advertisement  issued  by  M.  Velayer,  cited  A.  de  Kothschild, 
Histoire  de  la  Poste  aux  Lettres,  Paris,  1879,  p.  101. 

'  A.  de  Rothschild,  ibid.,  p.  145. 

=  A.  Belloc,  Les  Postes  fran^aises,  Paris,  1886,  p.  200. 


LOCAL  RATES  267 

a  branch  of  the  general  postal  service,  and  the  delivery  charge 
(Ortsbestellgeld),  which,  in  general,  had  been  retained  by  the 
letter-carrier  as  wages,  was,  in  the  latter  year,  made  payable 
to  the  general  revenue.  An  arrangement  was  also  made  for 
the  acceptance  and  delivery  of  local  letters,  at  the  rate  of 
1  sgr.i  If  the  letters  were  called  for  at  the  post  office  (and 
the  service  of  delivery  at  the  house  therefore  not  performed) 
the  rate  was  reduced  to  |  sgr. ;  and  when  one  person  posted 
as  many  as  one  hundred  local  letters  at  the  same  time, 
the  rate  for  each  letter  was  no  more  than  4J  pf.  (reduced  in 
1860  to  4  pf.),  including  delivery  at  residence.  When  as 
many  as  fifty  were  posted  at  one  time,  the  rate  was  reduced 
to  i  sgr.  By  a  regulation  of  the  21st  December  1860 
the  limit  of  weight  for  the  single  letter  was,  however, 
raised  to  J  pound,  and  a  rate  of  2  sgr.  imposed  on  heavier 
letters,  but  the  rates  were  not  otherwise  materially  changed. 
The  law  of  16th  September  1862  abolished  the  delivery  fee 
on  ordinary  letters.  In  1865  ^  the  rate  for  local  packets 
of  printed  matter  was  reduced  to  4  pf. 

When,  at  the  foundation  of  the  North  German  Union  in 
1867,  the  postal  rates  were  reorganized,  the  question  of 
the  local  rates  proved  to  be  one  of  some  little  difficulty, 
since  the  existing  rates  dififered  very  considerably  in  the 
different  parts  of  the  Union.  The  Prussian  rates  were 
high  as  compared  with  the  rates  in  some  other  States; 
and  any  rate  which  could  be  applied  generally  was  likely 
to  represent  a  considerable  reduction  of  the  Prussian  rates, 
but  a  considerable  increase  of  the  rates  in  other  States. 
The  reorganization  of  the  local  rates  was  consequently 
delayed.  After  much  discussion  a  new  local  rate  for  places 
in  the  former  Prussian  postal  territory  (excepting  Berlin 
and  Hamburg)  was  established :  3  for  ordinary  letters  J  sgr., 
for  printed  matter  and  samples  J  sgr.  In  Hanover  the 
local  letter  rate  was  made  J  sgr. ;  in  Brunswick  J  sgr. ; 
and  in  Cassel,  Erfurt,  Frankfort-on-Main,  and  Hamburg 
similar  rates  were  established. 4 

From  ^the   1st  January  1875  a  uniform  rate  of   5   pf.  for 

*  Moch,  Archiv  filr  Post  und  Telegraphic,  1893,  p.  38. 

»  30th  May  1865.  3  Order  of  22nd  October  18C9. 

*  Moch,  ibid. 

18 


258  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

local  letters  was  introduced  throughout  the  Imperial  postal 
territory.  The  rate  was  irrespective  of  weight,  but  there 
was  a  maximuni  limit  of  250  grammes.  AM  other  local 
packets  (postcards,  printed  matter,  and  samples)  were  subject 
to  the  ordinary  rates  of  postage.  No  special  local  rate 
was  fixed  for  parcels :  the  lowest  zone  rate  was  payable, 
and  was,  of  course,  in  effect  a  local  rate.  The  general 
appHcation  of  the  new  letter  rate  would,  in  certain  cases, 
have  resulted  in  increased  rates,  and  in  those  cases  (Con- 
stance, Darmstadt,  and  Karlsruhe)  a  rate  of  3  pf. — the 
equivalent  of  the  previously  existing  rate — was  established. 
In  Berlin,  in  view  of  the  specially  expensive  arrangements 
for  the  delivery  of  letters,  the  rate  of  10  pf.  for  local  letters 
remained  in  force. ^ 

For  the  delivery  of  local  parcels  no  charge  had  previously 
been  made  beyond  the  rate  of  local  postage,  although  in 
respect  of  all  packets  from  outside  a  delivery  charge  was 
collected.  From  the  1st  January  1875,  however,  local  parcels 
were  made  liable  to  a  delivery  charge. ^  In  general,  the  local 
rates  introduced  on  the  1st  January  1875  remained  for  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century  unchanged,  but  in  course  of  time 
difficulties  in  their  administration  developed.  The  order  of 
the  18th  December  1874  had  prescribed  a  special  local  rate 
for  letters  only;  for  all  other  kinds  of  postal  traffic  the 
ordinary  rates  remained  applicable.  Consequently,  a  local 
postcard  was  charged  the  same  postage  as  a  letter  weighing 
250  grammes;  similarly  the  rates  for  printed  matter  or 
samples  for  local  delivery  were  high  when  compared  with 
the  rate  for  local  letters.  Such  rates  were,  moreover, 
anomalous  when  compared  with  the  rates  for  long-distance 
traffic,  which,  for  postcards,  printed  matter,  and  samples,  were 
much  less  than  for  letters.  In  fact,  for  local  delivery  printed 
matter  and  samples  had  only  to  be  placed  in  sealed  covers 
in  order  to  pass  at  the  rate  of  5  pf. 

In  many  of  the  larger  towns  the  delivery  of  local  letters  was 
undertaken  by  private  enterprise  at  rates  much  lower  than 
those  of  the  Imperial  Post  Office.  The  undertakings  secured 
a   very  large   proportion  of   the  local  traffic,  and  found  even 

*  Moch,  ibid. 

"  Administrative  order  of  18th  December  1874. 


LOCAL  RATES  259 

these  low  rates  very  profitable.  Moreover,  the  large  increase 
in  the  number  of  post  offices,  and  the  withdrawal  of  numerous 
places  from  the  areas  assigned  to  certain  offices,  had  led,  in 
many  cases,  to  great  difficulties  in  deciding  whether  letters 
were  subject  to  the  general  or  the  local  rate  of  postage.^ 

The  regulations  governing  local  traffic  were  accordingly 
revised  under  the  law  of  the  20th  December  1899.  Local 
rates  were  considerably  reduced  in  amount,  and  were  made 
applicable  to  all  traffic  passing  between  a  town  area  and 
the  neighbouring  area  {Nachbarorts-Verkehr) ,^  by  which  the 
advantage  of  these  rates  was  greatly  extended.  In  order  to 
enable  the  Post  Office  adequately  to  fulfil  its  public  functions, 
as  the  phrase  went,  it  was  thought  necessary,  in  view  of  the 
development  of  the  private  undertakings,  to  confer  upon  it  the 
exclusive  right  to  deal  with  local  traffic.  At  first  the  pro- 
posal was  to  extend  the  monopoly  only  to  closed  letters,  but 
the  Reichstag  widened  the  prohibition,  and  forbade  private 
undertakings  to  conduct  arrangements  for  the  transmission  of 
letters,  sealed  or  unsealed,  postcards,  printed  matter,  or 
samples  addressed  to  particular  persons.3 

The  traffic  left  open  to  private  enterprise,  viz.  the  delivery 
of  unaddressed  open  letters,  parcels,  newspapers,  and  maga- 
zines, was  regarded  by  most  of  the  proprietors  as  insuffi- 
cient to  warrant  the  continuance  of  their  undertakings, 
and  on  the  1st  April  1900  almost  all  the  private  establish- 
ments of  this  kind  were  discontinued.  The  proprietors  were, 
however,  compensated  by  the  State  for  the  loss  of  their 
profits.4  The  first  undertaking  of  this  kind  had  been 
established  in  Berlin  in  the  'seventies,  under  the  title  Brief- 
U7id  Druckschrif ten- Expedition.  Its  success  led  to  the 
establishment  in  Berlin   and  various  other  places  of  similar 

'  Moch,  Archw  fUr  Post  und  Telegraphie,  1900,  p.  736. 

"  "  Als  Nachbarorte  ein  Sinne  des  Gesetzes  soUen  solche  Orte  der  engen  un- 
mittelbaren  Nachbarschaft  gel  ten,  deren  bebaute  Ortsgrenzen  nicht  zu  woit  von 
einander  entfernt  bleiben  und  die  wegen  ihrer  Lage  und  ihres  wirtschaftlichen 
Zusammenhanges  als  ein  einheitlicher  Verkehrsbezirk  (Taxgruppe)  angesehen 
werden  konnen,  ferner  aber  solche  Orte,  die  zwischon  zwei  hiernach  eine 
Taxgruppe  bildenden  anderon  Orten  an  der  diese  verbindenden  Strasse  oder 
Eisenbahn  liegen,  auch  wenn  ein  wirtschaftlicher  Zusammenhang  hier  nicht 
vorhanden  ist." — Moch,  ibid. 

»  Ibid.,  p.  736  ;  Articles  2  and  3  of  law  of  20th  December  1899. 

*  Beichstag,  Official  Reports,  vol.  ii.,  p.  1006. 


260  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

undertakings,  some  of  which  were  profitable,  but  most  of 
which  were  unsuccessful.  The  cheaper  rates,  however, 
attracted  a  considerable  volume  of  traffic,  and  at  the  time 
of  their  suppression  some  seventy-seven  such  undertakings 
were  in  existence.  Most  of  them  were  not  of  long  standing, 
only  fourteen  of  the  seventy-seven  having  been  founded  in  the 
'eighties,  forty  having  been  founded  in  the  years  1895-6-7,  in 
a  period  of  speculation  resulting  from  the  high  dividends 
paid  by  the  Berliner  Packetfahrt-Aktiengesellschaft.  The 
size  of  the  undertakings  varied  largely.  In  some  cases  the 
whole  business  was  conducted  by  the  members  of  a  family ; 
in  others  as  many  as  a  hundred  men  were  employed  ;  and  in 
the  case  of  the  Berliner  Packetfahrt-Aktiengesellschaft  the 
letter  traffic  alone  employed  a  thousand  men.  The  amount 
of  traffic  dealt  with  was  considerable,  and  large  additions 
to  the  postal  staff  were  found  necessary.'  Some  of  the 
employees  of  the  private  establishments  were  taken  over  by 
the  Imperial  Postal  Administration,  and  a  sum  of  IJ  million 
marks  was  paid  as  compensation  to  employees  who  were  not 
taken  over. 

Although  special  provision  had  been  made  in  the  statute 
with  regard  to  the  amount  of  compensation  to  be  paid  to 
the  proprietors,  the  determination  of  the  actual  amount  was 
a  matter  of  some  difficulty,  owing  largely  to  the  unsatis- 
factory and  unreliable  manner  in  which  the  accounts  of 
many  of  the  undertakings  had  been  kept.^  In  several  cases 
also  the  owners  asked  exorbitant  amounts. 

After  much  negotiation  the  sum  to  be  paid  was  finally 
decided.  It  amounted  to  some  six  million  marks.  In  order 
to  get  rid  of  the  private  estabHshments  for  the  handling  of 
private  letters,  etc.,  the  Imperial  Administration  therefore 
paid  in  all  (i.e.  including  the  compensation  to  the  employees 
of  the  private  undertakings)  a  sum  of  about  7^  million 
marks.3 

•  '•  Um  ein  klar  wirkendes  Bild  von  dem  Umfange  der  Verkehrszunahme  zu 
geben,  sei  nur  erwahnt,  dass  die  Ober-Postdirektion  in  Berlin  im  Kalenderjahre 
1900  eine  um  106  Beamte  und  1,606  Unterbeamte  hohero.  Personal  verstarkung 
fiir  ihren  Bezirk  hat  eintreten  lassen  mussen  als  im  Jahre  vorher  ;  am  1  April 
1900  sind  allein — ohne  die  zahlreichen  Aushiilfskrafte — 860  Unterbeamte  neu 
eingestellt  worden." — Deutsche  Verkehrs-Zeitung,  Berliny  8th  March  1901,  p.  131. 

»  Ibid.  3  Ibid.,  p.  132. 


LOCAL  RATES  261 

The  new  rates  were  as  follow  ^ : — 

(a)  Letters — 

Not  exceeding  250  grammes  in  weight     . .         . .       5  pf. 
(6)  Postcards 2  pf . 

(c)  Printed  matter — 

Not  exceeding  50  grammes           . .          . .         . .  2  pf . 

50    grammes  to    100    ,,      . .         . .         . .         . .  3  pf . 

100            „            250 5pf. 

260           „            500     , lOpf. 

500           „        1,000    , 15  pf. 

(d)  Commercial  papers — 

Not  exceeding  250  grammes           . .         . .         . .  5  pf . 

250  grammes  to  500     „ 10  pf. 

500           „       1,000      „ 15  pf. 

(e)  Samples — 

Not  exceeding  250  grammes           5  pf . 

250  grammes  to  350      ,, 10  pf. 

(/)  Mixed  packages  of  (c),  (ti),  and  (e) — 

Not  exceeding  250  grammes           . .         . .         . .  5  pf. 

250  grammes  to  500      ,, 10  pf. 

500           „        1,000      „ 15  pf. 

These  rates  applied  throughout  the  Imperial  postal  terri- 
tory, including  Berlin,  which  thus  for  the  first  time  obtained 
the  advantage  of  local  rates ;  and  in  1902  they  were  extended 
to  all  places  which  had  a  post  office  for  only  part  of  the 
year,  such  as  small  watering-places,  summer  resorts,  and 
beauty  spots. ^ 

The  result  of  the  reduced  rates  was  not  satisfactory  finan- 
cially. It  was  not,  of  course,  possible  to  calculate  with  any 
exactness  the  actual  cost  of  the  service  performed  by  the 
Post  Office  in  respect  of  local  traffic ;  but  such  estimates  as 
the  administration  were  able  to  make  tended  to  show  that 
the  cost  exceeded  the  revenue,  and  that  the  local  business 
was  therefore  conducted  at  some  loss.3  Consequently,  when 
in  1906  Imperial  requirements  made  it  necessary  to  obtain 
an  increased  revenue  from  the  Post  Office,  the  administra- 
tion placed  the  burden  on  the  local  traffic,  although  not 
without  some  opposition  in  the  Keichstag.  On  the  1st  July 
1906    the  rates   for   local   traffic,  with  the  exception   of   the 

'  Order  of  20tli  March  1900.     See  Moch,  Archiv  fUr  Post  und  Telegraphic, 
Berlin,  1900,  p.  737. 
=  Order  of  29th  March.     W.  Hess,  ibid.,  1910,  p.  448. 
3  Beichstag,  Oj^ial  Reports,  17th  May  1906, 


262  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

rate  for  local  letters,  were  made  the  same  as  the  general 
rates  for  transmission  throughout  the  Imperial  postal 
territory. 

The  rate  for  letters  remained  as  formerly,  5  pf.  for  letters 
not  exceeding  250  grammes  in  weight.^ 

^  Finanz-Archiv,  1906,  vol.  ii.,  p.  253. 


VI 
INTERNATIONAL    RATES 


(I)  INTERNATIONAL  LETTER  POST 

The  adoption  in  numerous  countries  of  the  principle  of 
uniformity  of  rate  for  inland  postal  traffic,  and  the  enormous 
simplification  of  the  system  of  rates  and  of  their  practical 
administration  which  it  achieved,  led  naturally  to  an  en- 
deavour to  effect  a  like  simplification  of  the  rates  for  postal 
traffic  exchanged  between  the  various  countries.  The  rates  in 
operation  varied  enormously,  not  only  as  between  different 
countries,  but  frequently  in  respect  of  letters  passing  between 
the  same  two  countries.^ 

'  *'  Uno  partie  des  pays  qui  ont  pris  part  au  Congr^s  de  Berno  avait  fix6  le 
maximum  du  poids  des  lottres  k  250  grammes  ;  I'autre  partie  n'avait  fix6  aucune 
limito  de  poids.  Dans  certains  pays,  I'^paisseur  des  lettres  dtait  limit^e.  Au 
Danemark,  par  exemple,  olle  no  pouvait  pas  depasser  2|  centimetres.  La 
Grande-Bretagne  avait  fix6  le  maximum  do  dimension  dos  lottres  pour  I'etranger 
k  2  pieds  (60  centimetres)  en  longueur  et  ^  1  pied  (30  centimetres)  en  largeur  ou 
dpaisseur. 

"  Le  port  des  lettres  so  calculait  tant6t  pas  7^  grammes,  tantot  par  10 
grammes  et  tantot  par  15  grammes ;  parfois  aussi  rdchello  do  progression  ne 
comportait  que  deux  poids  (lettres  de  15  grammes  et  lettres  de  plus  de  15 
grammes) . 

*'Les  taxes  de^  lettres  d'un  pays  differaient  presque  pour  chaque  pays  corre- 
spondant ;  en  outre,  la  taxe  d'une  lettre  pour  un  seul  et  memo  pays  variait 
frequemment  suivant  la  voie  d'expedition.  L'AUemagne  n'avait  pas  moins  de 
7  taxes  pour  les  lettres  affranchis  k  destination  des  autres  pays  d'Europe  (abstrac- 
tion faite  dos  taxes  reduites  pour  les  rayons  limitrophes) ;  la  France  n'en  avait 
pas  moins  de  6,  et  la  Grande-Bretagne  pas  moins  de  9 ;  les  Etats-Unis 
d'Am^rique  en  avaient  5  pour  lours  rapports  avec  10  pays  europeens.  La  moins 
6\e\6e  de  ces  taxes  etait,  pour  TAllemagne,  de  10  pfennig  jusqu'^  15  grammes 
(20  pfennig  de  15  k  250  grammes) ;  pour  la  France,  de  25  centimes  par  10 
grammes ;  pour  la  Grande-Bretagne,  do  3  ponce  par  J  once  ;  pour  les  Etata- 
Unis  d'Am^rique,  de  6  cents  par  ^  once.  La  plus  eiev^e  etait,  pour  I'Allemagne, 
de  30  pfennig  par  10  grammes  ;  pour  la  France,  de  70  centimes  par  10  grammes  ; 


264  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

The  arrangements  for  the  exchange  of  such  traffic  between 
different  countries  had  been  conducted  under  conventions  and 
agreements  entered  into  by  the  countries  immediately  con- 
cerned, and  the  rates  to  be  charged  were  prescribed  by  these 
conventions  or  agreements.     Foreign   rates  were  often   built 
up  by  the   addition  of   a  rate  for  the   transmission   abroad 
to  the  ordinary  rate  chargeable  for  the  inland  transmission. 
The  fact  that  numerous  rates  were  chargeable  for  one  and 
the  same  letter  in  respect  of  its  transmission  within  the  same 
country   thus   naturally  made   the   rates   charged   for  trans- 
mission  abroad   likewise    numerous.    In    many   cases    there 
was  an  additional  variation  in  the  rate  of  postage  between 
two  countries  according  as  one  or  other  route  was  followed. 
And  not  only  were  the  international   rates   of  postage  high 
and   complicated.     The    methods    employed    for    accounting 
between   the   countries  respectively  concerned  in   regard   to 
the  proceeds  of  postage  on  international  letters  were  equally 
complicated  and  burdensome. 

In  1850  the  necessity  for  some  simplification  of  the 
arrangements  for  the  interchange  of  correspondence  led  to 
the  formation  of  the  Austro-German  Postal  Union  by  Prussia 
and  Austria.  The  chief  feature  of  the  arrangement  was  the 
adoption  of  a  common  rate  of  postage  for  the  whole  territory 
of  the  Union,  moderate  in  amount,  and  based  on  a  small 
number  of  zones  of  distances.  The  advantages  resulting 
from  the  Union  were  soon  apparent.     Other  German  States 

pour  la  Qrande-Bretagne,  de  6  pence  par  |  once ;  pour  les  Etats-Unis  d'Ame- 
rique  de  10  cents  par  ^  once, 

"  Les  taxes  des  lettres  a  destination  des  pays  d'outre-mer  variaient  davantage 
encore ;  elles  etaient,  en  outre,  toujours  extremement  ^lev^es.  Une  lettre 
affranchie  de  FAllemagne  pour  le  Perou,  a  expedier  par  la  voie  de  Hambourg, 
payait  100  pfennig  par  15  grammes  ;  si  elle  etait  expedite  par  la  voie  d'Angle- 
terre  ou  de  France,  elle  payait  120  pfennig  par  15  grammes.  Pour  une  lettre 
d'une  j^  once  de  la  Grande-Bretagne  pour  la  Bolivie,  I'expediteur  devait  payer 
1  shilling  6  pence  et  une  taxe  additionnelle  etait',  en  outre,  r^clam^e  du  destina- 
taire.  Une  lettre  simple  de  la  Russie  pour  la  Cochinchine  (voie  des  paquebots 
franpais)  payait  75  kopecks  ;  de  I'Autriche  pour  la  B^publique  de  Honduras 
(voie  de  Panama),  84  kreuzer;  de  1' Italic  pour  la  R^publique  Argentine  ou 
rUruguay  (voie  de  Bclgique),  2  lire  40  centesimi. 

"  Pour  ses  relations  avec  le  Japon,  la  Russie  ne  disposait  pas  de  moins  de 
9  voies  d' expedition,  pour  lesquoUes  il  existait  8  taxes  difi^rentes  rien  pour  les 
lettres  affranchies." — M.  E.  RufEy,  L' Union  postale  universelle;  sa  fondation 
et  son  developpement,  Lausanne,  1900,  pp.  20,  21. 


INTERNATIONAL  RATES  265 

joined,  and  within  a  short  time  the  question  of  extending 
it  to  foreign  countries  was  mooted.  At  a  Conference  held 
in  Berlin  in  1851,  a  general  European  Postal  Union  was 
adumbrated. 

The  first  definite  suggestion  for  the  general  re-organization 
of  international  postal  traffic  on  a  common  basis  came, 
however,  from  America.  In  1863,  Mr.  Blair,  Postmaster- 
General  of  the  United  States,  in  a  note  to  the  postal  admini- 
strations of  the  world,  suggested  the  assembling  of  a  Congress 
representative  of  all  nations  for  the  discussion  of  the  subject. 
The  proposal  was  favourably  received  by  fifteen  admini- 
strations,^ representing  nine-tenths  of  the  commerce  and 
nineteen-twentieths  of  the  correspondence  of  the  world. 
The  representatives  of  these  administrations  (with  the  excep- 
tion of  Ecuador)  met  at  Paris  in  May  1863. 

The  Conference  was  not  empowered  to  enter  into  any 
definite  arrangement  for  the  amelioration  of  the  system  of 
international  postal  traffic.  Its  function  was  simply  to  discuss 
and  proclaim  general  principles  applicable  to  the  conduct  of 
the  traffic,  with  a  view  to  their  ultimate  adoption  by  the 
nations  of  the  world.  The  discussions  centred  on  the  three 
fundamental  questions  of  uniformity  of  weights,  uniformity  of 
rate,  and  simplification  of  accounting.^  Thirty-one  articles  of 
agreement  were  adopted. 3  These  articles  recommended,  inter 
aliUy  the  adoption  for  ordinary  letters  of  a  unit  of  weight  and 
a  progression  of  weight  of  15  grammes;  and  for  corrected 
proofs,  samples,  and  documents  not  in  the  nature  of  a  letter, 
a  unit  and  progression  of  40  grammes.  The  Conference  was 
convinced  that  transit  charges  were  often  an  invincible 
obstacle  to  the  establishment  of  a  really  advantageous  inter- 
national system,  and  recommended  that  the  transit  rate  for 
each  country  should  never  exceed  half  the  postage  reckoned  at 
the  inland  rate  of  the  country  traversed,  and  that  for  small 

'  Austria,  Belgium,  Costa-Rica,  Denmark,  Ecuador,  Spain,  France,  Great 
Britain,  Italy,  Holland,  Portugal,  Prussia,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  Switzerland, 
and  the  Hanse  Towns. 

=*  M.  E.  RufEy,  L' Union  postale  umverselle ;  safondation  et  son  d^veloppement, 
Lausanne,  1900,  p.  13. 

3  Or,  as  they  were  called,  "  principes  g^n^raux  de  nature  4  faoiliter  les  relations 
de  pouple  a  peuple  par  la  voie  de  la  poste  et  pouvant  servir  de  base  aux  con- 
vontions  intemationaloa  destineos  a  re^ler  cos  relatigns."— Ibid. 


266  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

countries  it  should  be  even  less.  For  sea  transit  the 
Conference  recommended  that  in  no  case  should  the  charge 
against  an  administration  in  respect  of  such  transport 
be  greater  than  the  actual  charge  made  on  the  country  of 
destination  by  the  shipping  agency  by  whom  the  mails  were 
conveyed. 

Although  its  conclusions  were  without  the  sanction  of 
authority,  the  Conference  was  nevertheless  of  great  assistance 
to  the  development  of  an  international  system.  It  brought 
into  prominence  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  international 
postal  intercourse,  and  the  difficulties  which  must  be  removed 
before  a  common  system  could  be  founded.  And  it  formulated 
general  principles  which  might  with  advantage  be  observed  in 
the  making  of  fresh  agreements  between  individual  countries, 
and  might  serve  as  a  basis  for  a  common  agreement.  Its  con- 
clusions were,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  so  used  in  numerous 
instances. 

Towards  the  end  of  1868  Dr.  von  Stephan,  of  the  postal 
administration  of  the  North  German  Union,  published  in 
the  official  journal  of  the  Union  a  definite  project  for  a 
postal  union  between  all  civilized  nations,  and  proposed  a 
discussion  of  the  project  at  a  universal  Congress.  The 
proposal  was  taken  up  by  the  administration  of  the  North 
German  Union.  The  diplomatic  arrangements  for  calling  a 
Conference  were,  however,  interrupted  by  the  Franco- 
German  War  of  1870.  After  the  conclusion  of  peace,  the 
proposal  was  again  taken  up,  and  the  Swiss  Government 
undertook  the  task  of  inviting  the  administrations  of  the 
chief  countries  to  send  representatives  to  a  Congress  at 
Berne.  The  invitation  was  readily  accepted,  and  the  Congress 
met  in  1874. 

The  proposal  submitted  to  the  Conference  was  that  the 
Union  should  cover  the  following  categories  of  postal 
traffic : — 

(1)  Letters. 

(2)  Postcards. 

(3)  Newspapers  and  other  printed  matter. 

(4)  Samples. 

(5)  Commercial  papers. 

Bach    contracting    State  should    fix    its    own    international 


INTERNATIONAL   RATES  267 

rates,  under  the  limitation  that  for  letters  the  rate  should 
not  exceed  4d.,  or  40  centimes;  and  for  newspapers  or  other 
printed  matter,  for  samples  or  commercial  papers,  should 
not  be  less  than  Id.,  or  10  centimes.  There  should  be  no 
division  of  postage,  but  each  State  should  retain  the  postage 
which  it  collected.  Each  State  should  give  liberty  of  transit, 
and  transit  charges  should  be  abolished,  except  in  the  case 
of  extraordinary  charges  or  services.^ 

The  proposals  which  gave  rise  to  most  discussion  were 
those  for  the  establishment  of  a  uniform  rate,  and  for  the 
gratuitous  transit  of  mails  across  the  territory  of  inter- 
mediate countries.  The  vast  number  of  rates  actually  exist- 
ing was  made  an  argument  in  favour  of  the  uniform  rate ; 
and  a  low  rate  was  recommended  on  the  ground  that  it 
was  well  known  that,  although  low  rates  imposed  a  temporary 
monetary  loss,  they  were  in  a  broad  view  profitable  to 
the  finances  of  the  State. ^  It  was  urged  that  as  all  rates 
were  already  tending  to  equality,  the  Congress,  by  establishing 
uniformity,  would  only  be  advancing  by  a  few  years  an 
existing  tendency.  The  principle  of  uniformity  of  rate  and 
of  weight  was  adopted  unanimously,  the  rate  of  charge  being 
fixed  at  25  centimes,  and  the  unit  of  weight,  and  progression 
in  the  scale  of  weight,  at  15  grammes.  The  rate  of  charge, 
25  centimes  (with  the  reservations  3),  was  arrived  at  by 
consideration  of  the  case  of  the  most  unfavourably  situated 
country  as  regards  conditions  of  transit,  viz.  a  case  in  which 
there  would  be  five  intermediate  countries,  and  consequently 
five  transit  rates.  As  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  countries 
represented  had  already  adopted  inland  penny  postage,  this 
rate,  assuming  10  centimes  (or  Id.)  to  be  a  reasonable  charge 
for  the  inland   service  at  both  ends,  left  15  centimes  (IJd.) 

'  Documents  du  Congrds  postal  international,  Berne,  1874,  pp.  3-7.  See 
M.  E.  Ruffy,  ibid.,  pp.  39,  40  and  41. 

=  Documents  du  Congrds  postal  international,  Berne,  1874,  p.  23. 

3  "  Toutefois,  commo  mesure  de  transition,  il  est  r^serv^  k  chaque  pays,  pour 
tonir  compfce  des  convenances  mon^taires  on  autres,  la  faculty  de  porcovoir  une 
taxo  sup^rieure  ou  infdrieure  h.  ce  chifire,  moyennant  quelle  ne  depasse  pas 
32  centimes  et  ne  descende  pas  au  dessous  de  20  centimes.  .  .  . 

"  Pour  tout  transport  maritime  de  plus  de  300  milles  marins  dans  le  ressort  de 
rUnion,  il  pourra  etre  ajout6  au  port  ordinaire  une  surtaxe  qui  ne  pourra  pas 
d^passer  la  moiti^  de  la  taxe  generate  de  TUnion  fix6e  pour  la  lettre  affranchie," 
—Article  3  of  Convention,  ibid.,  p.  140, 


268  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

to  cover  the  cost  of  transmission  from  country  of  origin 
to  country  of  destination ;  and  there  was  in  addition  the 
optional  margin  up  to  32  centimes  which  might  be  taken 
advantage  of,  if  a  charge  of  25  centimes  was  thought  by 
any  administration  to  be  too  httle.  A  proviso  was  added 
that  for  all  sea  transits  exceeding  300  nautical  miles  a 
surtax  not  exceeding  half  the  general  rate  of  the  Union 
might  be  added  to  the  postage  charge,  whether  for  letters, 
samples,  printed  matter,  or  commercial  papers. 

A  reduced  rate  for  commercial  papers,  samples  of 
merchandise,  newspapers,  books,  pamphlets,  catalogues,  etc., 
was  adopted  without  discussion,  the  delegates  no  doubt  basing 
their  action  on  the  existence  of  similar  reduced  rates  in  many 
countries.  The  minimum  rate  for  such  packets  was  fixed 
at  7  centimes,  and  the  unit  of  weight  and  the  progression 
of  weight  at  50  grammes.  The  maximum  weight  for 
samples  was  fixed  at  250  grammes,  and  that  for  other 
articles  at  1,000  grammes.  A  proposal  to  increase  the  weight 
for  samples  was  opposed  by  Dr.  von  Stephan  on  the  ground 
that  it  would  cause  practical  inconvenience  in  the  post 
offices. 

M.  Badoikovitch,  the  Serbian  delegate,  proposed  a  modifica- 
tion of  the  progression  of  rate.  He  suggested  that  the  packets 
should  be  divided  into  two  categories — those  not  exceeding 
300  grammes,  and  those  over  300  grammes  in  weight.  For 
the  lighter  packets  he  proposed  a  progression  of  50  grammes, 
and  for  the  heavier  packets  a  greater  progression.  For  the 
sake  of  simplicity  it  was  considered  preferable  to  retain  the 
single  progression,  and  the  proposal,  which  met  with  no 
support,  was  withdrawn.^  All  packets  (samples,  etc.)  sent  at 
the  lower  rate  must  be  sent  under  band  or  in  open  envelopes, 
or  made  up  in  such  a  way  as  to  admit  of  their  being  easily 
examined.  2 

The  proposal  for  gratuity  of  transit  was  advanced  with  a 
view  to  simplification  of  the  administration  of  the  Union.  Its 
adoption  would  have  made  all  countries  independent,  so  far 
as  expenses  and  accounting  were  concerned,  of  intermediate 
countries,  and   would  have   assisted  the   adoption   of  a   low 

*  Documents  du  Congr^s  postal  international,  Berne,  1874,  pp.  41-2. 
=*  B^glement  de  Detail,  sees,  xi,  xii  and  xiii,  ibid.,  p.  158, 


INTERNATIONAL   RATES  269 

rate  of  postage.  It  was,  however,  resolutely  opposed  by 
those  countries  which,  owing  to  their  geographical  situation 
and  the  means  of  communication  which  they  controlled,  were 
called  upon  to  serve  as  intermediaries  to  a  special  degree. 
The  case  of  Belgium  was  of  particular  importance.  It 
naturally  resulted  from  her  situation  that  she  was  called  upon 
to  perform  for  other  countries  a  transit  business  much  greater 
than  that  performed  by  other  countries  for  Belgium.  The 
net  revenue  accruing  to  the  Belgian  administration  from  this 
source  was  very  considerable.^  France  and  Italy  were  in  a 
somewhat  similar  position,  mainly  owing  to  the  transmission 
of  the  mails  between  England  and  India  by  the  overland 
route.  France  rejected  entirely  the  principle  of  gratuitous 
transit. 

It  was  feared  that  if  an  administration  derived  no  benefit 
from  transit  traffic  it  might  be  led  to  discourage  it,  to  the 
detriment  of  general  facilities  for  the  transmission  of  mails, 
and  the  Congress  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  some  method 
of  specially  remunerating  all  countries  for  transit  services 
ought  to  be  devised.  A  simple  reservation  as  regards  special 
expenses  caused  by  transit  traffic  was  objected  to  on  the 
ground  that  in  most  cases  the  international  trafi&c  was  for- 
warded by  the  ordinary  means  and  no  special  expense  was 
caused — the  real  causes  of  Post  Office  expenses  being  the 
services  of  despatch  and  delivery .^  Indeed,  it  was  contended 
on  this  ground  that  the  transit  of  international  mails  could  not 
be  regarded  as  a  service  rendered. 

Agreement  was  reached  on  most  of  the  points  raised  by  the 
proposals,  and  a  Convention  constituting  an  International 
Postal  Union,  under  the  title  "  L'Union  generale  des  Postes,"  3 

'  "La  Bclgiquc  occupe  une  position  pour  ainsi  dire  unique  dans  le  monde. 
Placee  au  centre  de  la  partie  la  plus  riche,  la  plus  active  et  la  plus  peupl^e  de 
I'Europe,  elle  forme,  en  quelque  sorte,  le  carrefour  des  grandes  voies  postales  de 
notre  continent.  II  s'en  suit  que  la  Belgique  rend  de  tr^s  grands  services 
i  tous  les  Etats  de  I'Europe,  tandis  qu'elle-mfime  n'a  k  r^clamer  que  fort  peu  de 
services  de  ses  voisins." 

Belgium  received  946,235  fr.  net  annually  in  respect  of  transit  traffic,  and 
the  ratio  between  the  transit  services  rendered  by  Belgium  to  other  countries 
and  by  other  countries  to  Belgium  was  20  to  1. — Documents  du  Congris  postal 
international,  Berne,  1874,  pp.  37-8. 

»  Ibid.,  p.  23. 

3  Changed  in  1878  to  "  L'Union  postale  universoUe." 


270  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

was  signed  on  the  9th  October  1874,  to  become  operative  on  ^ 
the  1st  July  1875.     The  chief  provisions  of  the  Convention  in 
regard  to  the  rates  of  postage  v^ere  as  follows  : — 

(1)  The  rate  of  postage  for  the  Union  was  fixed — 

(a)  At  25  centimes  for  single  letters,  with  liberty  for  each  country,  as  might 
be  necessary  on  account  of  its  monetary  system  or  for  other  reasons,  to  fix  a 
higher  or  lower  rate,  provided  that  such  rate  was  not  greater  than  32  centimes, 
and  not  less  than  20  centimes. 

The  unit  of  weight  for  a  single  letter  was  fixed  at  15  grammes,  and  the  scale 
of  progression  was  by  steps  of  15  grammes. 

(&)  For  postcards,  half  the  rate  for  letters. 

(c)  For  printed  matter,  samples,  and  commercial  papers  the  unit  rate  was 
fixed  at  7  centimes,  with  liberty  for  each  country  to  fix  a  rate  not  exceeding 
11  centimes  or  less  than  5  centimes. 

The  unit  weight  was  fixed  at  50  grammes,  and  the  progression  of  weight  was 
by  steps  of  50  grammes.  The  maximum  limit  of  weight  for  samples  was  fixed 
at  250  grammes,  and  for  printed  matter  and  commercial  papers  at  1,000 
grammes.* 

(2)  In  cases  where  letters  were  forwarded  by  sea  for  distances  over  300  miles, 
a  surtax  not  exceeding  half  the  general  Union  rate  of  prepaid  postage  might  be 
added  to  the  normal  rate. 

(3)  The  proposal  as  to  the  division  of  postage  was  accepted,  with  slight 
amplification. 

(4)  Transit  payments,  that  is,  rates  of  payment  by  one  administration  to 
another  administration  in  respect  of  the  transmission  of  closed  mails  over  the 
territory  of  the  second  administration  by  means  which  it  provided,  were  fixed  at 
2  fr.  per  kilogramme  for  mails  containing  letters  and  postcards,  and  25  centimes 
per  kilogramme  for  mails  containing  other  articles.  The  rates  were  increased  to 
4  fr.  and  to  50  centimes,  respectively,  when  the  distance  of  transmission 
exceeded  750  kilometres  on  the  territory  of  one  administration.  In  the  case 
of  sea  transits  exceeding  300  nautical  miles,  the  despatching  country  was 
required  to  pay  to  the  administration  which  provided  the  service,  the  expenses 
of  the  transportation,  not  exceeding  6  fr.  50  per  kilogramme  for  letters  and 
50  centimes  per  kilogramme  for  other  articles. 

In  November  1875  the  Indian  Post  Office  administration 
applied  for  admission  to  the  Union.  A  further  Conference  at 
Berne  was  thereupon  called  to  consider  this  request.  Eepre- 
sentatives  of  a  large  majority  of  the  signatories  of  the  Treaty 
of  1874  attended  the  Conference,  and  other  questions  were 
raised.  France,  Spain,  and  Holland  asked  for  the  admission  of 
their  respective  colonies ;  Brazil  submitted  a  declaration  of 
adhesion  ;    and   Great    Britain   intimated    that   Canada   and 

*  Those  countries  which  were  unable  to  adopt  the  metric  system  of  weights 
were  given  liberty  to  substitute  the  ounce  avoirdupois  (28-3465  grammes),  a  half- 
ounce  being  reckoned  the  equivalent  of  15  grammes,  and  2  ounces  the  equivalent 
of  50  grammes. — Documents  du  Congrds  postal  international,  Berne,  1874,  p.  66. 


INTERNATIONAL  RATES  271 

Newfoundland  would  submit  applications.  The  original  Union 
had  been  limited  to  the  European  countries,  Turkey  (including 
Turkey-in-Asia),  Eussia-in-Asia,  Northern  Africa,  Egypt,  and 
the  United  States  of  America ;  and  these  further  developments 
widened  the  problem  before  the  Congress.  Instead  of  merely 
considering  the  question  of  admitting  India,  it  was  called  upon 
to  face  the  possible  extension  of  the  Union  to  the  remotest 
parts  of  the  globe. 

The  question  of  transit  rates,  particularly  of  transit  rates 
by  sea,  became  therefore  one  of  very  great  importance  and 
difficulty,  since  it  was  necessary  to  fix  such  rates  as  would 
permit  of  the  maintenance  of  that  uniformity  and  lowness  of 
the  rates  of  postage  which  were  the  fundamental  bases  of  the 
Union.  On  this  point  there  were  prolonged  and  difficult  dis- 
cussions. The  French  delegates  submitted  a  proposal  for  the 
application  of  the  treaty  of  Berne  to  all  quarters  of  the  globe, 
with  a  uniform  transit  rate  of  6  fr.  50  per  kilogramme  for 
letters  and  50  centimes  for  printed  matter,  etc.^ 

The  countries  which  maintained  the  more  important  and 
costly  maritime  services  were  not,  however,  prepared  to  submit 
to  the  loss  of  revenue  which  the  adoption  of  the  proposed 
transit  rates  would  entail.^ 

Germany  submitted  a  scheme  for  classifying  all  countries 
of  the  world  outside  the  Union  into  four  groups  with  four 
graduated  maritime  transit  rates  of  6  fr.  50,  25  fr.,  40  fr.  and 
60  fr.  per  kilogramme,  respectively,  for  letters,  and  50  centimes, 
1  fr.,  1  fr.,  and  2  fr.  per  kilogramme  for  printed  matter,  etc., 3 
a  proposal   which   was   opposed    as    contrary  to    the   funda- 

*  "En  acc^dant,  disent-ils,  k  rUnion  postale,  la  France  s'est  impost  des 
sacrifices  considerables  dont  elle  a  d'avance  calcul(5  la  port^e.  Elle  est  prSte  k  en 
faire  de  nouveaux  aujourd'hui  en  vue  de  completer  la  grande  ceuvre  de  Berne  ; 
et,  k  CO  propos,  M.  Ansault  a  cru  devoir  declarer  que  los  subsides  accord^s  k  des 
lignes  de  paquebots  ne  peuvcnt  pas  6tre  consid^res  comme  ayant  un  caract^re 
postal,  c'est-^-dire,  que  Ton  ne  doit  pas  chercher  dans  le  produit  de  la  taxe  des 
lettres  une  remuneration  de  ces  services,  lesquels  sont  etablis  principalement 
pour  les  besoins  du  commerce  et  de  I'industrie,  aussi  bien  que  dans  un  int^r^t 
politique.  En  proposant  une  taxe  maritime  de  fr.  6-50  par  kilogramme  de 
lettres  et  de  50  ct.  par  kilogramme  de  journaux,  le  Gouvernement  fran9ais  a  eu 
en  outre  pour  but  do  faire  cesser  une  anomalie  injustifiable  aux  yeux  du  public, 
k  savoir  qu'une  missive  pour  les  Colonies  fran^aises  paie  une  taxe  plus  eiev^e 
qu'une  lettre  pour  la  partie  la  plus  recuiee  des  Etats-Unis  d'Amerique." — Actes 
de  la  Conference  liostale  de  Berne,  1876,  p.  29. 

»  Ibid.,  p.  30.  3  Ibid.,  pp.  13,  14. 


272  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

mental  principle  of  uniformity,  and  calculated  to  give  rise 
to  difficulties  and  complications.  Moreover,  the  zones,  being 
reckoned  as  from  Europe,  v^ere  not  applicable  as  between 
the  distant  countries  themselves,  e.g.  between  Mexico  and  the 
West  Indies.^ 

The  Conference  was  able  to  arrive  at  an  agreement  only 
as  regards  the  admission  of  British  India  and  the  French 
Colonies  in  Asia,  Africa,  America  and  the  Pacific.  The  entry 
of  these  territories  was  fixed  for  the  1st  July  1876,  and 
the  general  international  rates  of  postage  and  transit  rates, 
fixed  under  the  Convention  of  1874,  were  made  applicable  to 
the  new  territories  of  the  Union,  except  that  for  transit  by 
sea  for  distances  exceeding  300  nautical  miles  a  surtax  equal 
to  the  full  postage  rates  (32  centimes  and  11  centimes)  was 
authorized,  instead  of  a  surtax  of  half  rates  fixed  under  the 
original  treaty ;  and  the  transit  rates  in  respect  of  mails  for 
or  from  these  territories  for  distances  of  more  than  300 
nautical  miles  were  made  25  fr.  per  kilogramme  for  letters 
and  postcards,  and  1  fr.  per  kilogramme  for  printed  matter, 
samples,  and  commercial  papers. 

The  later  Congresses  have  added  numerous  services  to  those 
provided  under  the  original  scheme,  such  as,  e.g.,  reply-paid 
postcards.  For  the  most  part,  however,  these  additional 
services  are  of  minor  importance,  and  concern  only  a  small 
part  of  the  international  traffic,^  the  bulk  of  which  still  passes 
under  the  main  divisions  established  at  the  first  Congress. 

In  connection  with  the  rates  applied  to  those  classes  of 
the  traffic  there  are  three  chief  points  of  importance — the 
initial  charge,  the  scale  of  weights,  and  the  transit  rates. 
The  question  of  modifying  the  international  letter  rate, 
which  had  remained  unchanged  since  the  foundation  of  the 
Union,  was  raised  at  the  Washington  Congress  in  1897. 
The  Austrian  delegate  proposed,  not  indeed  that  the  initial 
charge  should  be  reduced  below  25  centimes,  but  that  the 
maximum  weight  allowed  for  the  single  letter  should  be 
increased  from  15  grammes  to  20  grammes.     The  British  and 

*  Actes  de  la  Conference  postale  de  Berne,  1876,  p.  34. 

^  Thus  in  1913-14  the  number  of  foreign  reply-paid  postcards  in  the  case  of 
the  United  States  was  130,596.  The  total  number  of  foreign  postcards  posted  in 
the  United  States  in  the  same  year  was  42,252,570. 


IxNTERNATIONAL   RATES  273 

French  delegates  opposed  the  proposal.^  The  French  delegates 
said  it  would  involve  a  loss  of  more  than  a  million  francs  to 
their  administration.  In  some  cases,  e.g.,  Italy,  the  raising  of 
the  limit  would  have  had  the  effect  of  rendering  the  interna- 
tional service  cheaper  than  the  internal  service.  In  the  end 
the  proposal  was  rejected. 

The  subject  of  transit  rates,  which  had  not  been  seriously 
considered  since  the  first  Congress,  was  also  raised  at  the 
Congress  of  Washington  (1897) ,  two  proposals  in  regard  to  it, 
by  Germany  and  by  Austria-Hungary  respectively,  being 
under  discussion.  In  the  original  project  of  the  Union, 
gratuitous  transit  had  been  proposed,  with  the  reservation 
that  remuneration  should  be  paid  in  cases  of  special  expenses 
occasioned  to  an  intermediary  by  the  transit  of  foreign  mails. 
The  new  German  proposal  was  for  the  abolition  of  all  transit 
payments  except  in  those  cases  where,  according  to  the 
statistics  of  the  international  service,  a  payment  of  more  than 
60,000  fr.  a  year  was  due,  and  in  those  cases  the  actual  amount 
due  to  be  reduced  by  25  per  cent.,  or  at  least  by  50,000  fr. ;  to 
make  the  amount  payable  only  by  those  countries  whose  share 
exceeded  10,000  fr. ;  and  the  reduction  of  the  maritime  transit 
rate  .from  15  fr.  to  10  fr.  This  proposal  was  avowedly  a 
step  towards  completely  gratuitous  territorial  transit.  The 
Austrian  proposal  was  for  gratuitous  transit  for  all  corre- 
spondence sent  a  decouvert,  and  a  reduction  of  the  transit  rates 
for  closed  mails.  Gratuitous  transit,  to  which,  as  already 
stated,  the  German  proposal  admittedly  tended,  was  advocated 
by  the  delegates  of  the  South  American  countries,  but  was 
opposed  by  several  other  countries,  especially  by  Belgium, 
France,  and  Italy.     As  at  the  first  Congress,  the  delegates  of 

'  "  M.  Buxton  Forman,  d^l6gu6  de  la  Grande-Bretagne,  ne  voit  pas  T utility 
do  la  mosure  proposee,  qui.  en  son  pays  du  moins,  n'est  pas  demandee  par  le 
public.  II  serait  d'ailleurs  presque  impossible  k  I'Administration  britannique  d'y 
adherer.  .  .  ."  The  French  view  was  stated  by  M.  Ansault  :  '*  La  modification 
demandee  no  r^pond  k  aucun  besoin.  Les  statistiques  tenues  en  France  t^moi- 
gnent  que  le  poids  moyen  de  la  lottre  n'atteint  pas  10  grammes ;  il  reste  done 
line  marge  de  6  grammes  avec  le  poids  actuel.  C'est  largement  sufiisant ;  en 
augmentant  cette  marge,  on  risquerait  do  provoquer  le  groupement  des  lettres 
au  detriment  de  la  recette  postale."— Docw7we»/s  du  Congr^s  postal  de 
Washington,  1897,  p.  421. 

In  the  same  year  the  limit  of  weight  for  the  single  M^er  in  the  British  inland 
service  was  raised  from  1  to  4  ounces. 

19 


274  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

the  latter  countries  called  attention  to  the  great  expense  to 
which  they  were  put  in  providing  transport  for  transit  mails, 
and  rejected  altogether  the  idea  of  gratuitous  transit.  In  face 
of  this  opposition,  the  proposals  could  not  be  carried  in  their 
entirety.  The  transit  rates  were,  however,  considerably 
reduced,  and  simplifications  in  the  method  of  ascertaining  the 
amounts  payable  in  respect  of  transit  were  introduced.  The 
land  rates  were  reduced  from  2  fr.  per  kilogramme  for  letters 
and  postcards  and  25  centimes  per  kilogramme  for  other 
articles,  to  1  fr.  90  and  to  23f  centimes  for  the  years  1899 
and  1900,  to  1  fr.  80  and  to  22 J  centimes  for  the  years  1901 
and  1902,  and  to  1  fr.  70  and  to  21J  centimes  for  and  after 
1903.  The  maritime  transit  rates  were  similarly  reduced. 
Countries  whose  expenses  for  the  transit  of  foreign  mails 
exceeded  the  receipts,  and  those  whose  combined  receipts  and 
expenses  for  that  purpose  did  not  exceed  5,000  fr.  per  year, 
were  excused  all  payment  under  this  head. 

At  the  next  Congress,  held  at  Rome  in  1906,  the  question 
of  reducing  the  letter  rate  and  transit  rates  was  again  dis- 
cussed. Proposals  to  raise  the  limit  of  weight  for  single 
letters  from  15  grammes  to  20  grammes  were  submitted  by 
several  States.  It  was  pointed  out  that,  although  in  general 
sufficient,  the  limit  of  15  grammes  was  often  exceeded,  and 
frequently  the  weight  of  letters  required  to  be  tested,  causing 
inconvenience  both  to  the  public  and  the  postal  administra- 
tions. The  German  delegate  expressed  the  opinion  that  the 
public  were  anticipating  some  concession,  and  that  as  reduction 
of  the  initial  rate  of  25  centimes  was  impossible,  an  increased 
limit  of  weight  would  no  doubt  be  appreciated.^  The  British 
delegates  pointed  out  that  the  equivalent  of  20  grammes 
in  British  weight  was  §  or  |  ounce,  a  unit  which 
would  be  highly  inconvenient  and  could  not  be  adopted. 
They  would  have  accepted  a  limit  of  30  grammes;  but  in 
many  countries  the  existing  limit  of  weight  for  the  initial 
letter  rate  in  the  inland  service  was  20  grammes,  and  the 
introduction  of  a  higher  initial  weight  in  the  international 
service  might  lead  to  difficulties  in  the  case  of  those  ad- 
ministrations which  desired  to  retain  the  lower  limit  in  the 
inland  service.  On  these  grounds  they  inclined  to  the 
*  Documents  du  Qongr^s  ^o^UH  d^  Borne,  J906,  vol.  ii.,  p.  103. 


INTERNATIONAL  RATES  275 

maintenance  of  the  status  quo.  The  delegates  of  the  United 
States,  Italy,  and  Turkey  supported  the  British  view.  The 
Italian  delegates  pointed  out  that  the  result  would  in  effect 
be  to  compel  those  countries  in  which  the  limit  was 
15  grammes  to  introduce  modifications  into  their  internal 
service — a  position  which  it  was  obviously  undesirable  for 
the  Congress  to  take  up.  Japan  advocated  the  maintenance 
of  the  existing  limit,  because  the  effect  of  raising  it  would 
be  to  render  further  reduction  of  transit  rates  still  more 
difficult.  In  the  end  the  proposal  was  adopted  by  thirteen 
votes  against  twelve.^  Countries  using  the  avoirdupois  system 
were  to  regard  1  ounce  as  the  initial  weight  limit. 

Gratuitous  transit  was  still  unacceptable  to  the  majority,^ 
but  both  land  and  sea  charges  were  reduced.  The  land  transit 
rates  were  reduced  to  1  fr.  50  per  kilogramme  for  letters  and 
postcards  and  20  centimes  per  .kilogramme  for  other  articles, 
for  distances  not  exceeding  3,000  kilometres;  to  3  fr.  per 
kilogramme  for  letters  and  postcards  and  40  centimes  per 
kilogramme  for  other  articles,  for  distances  between  3,000  and 
6,000  kilometres;  to  4  fr.  50  per  kilogramme  for  letters  and 
postcards  and  60  centimes  per  kilogramme  for  other  articles, 
for  distances  between  6,000  kilometres  and  9,000  kilometres ; 
and  to  6  fr.  per  kilogramme  for  letters  and  postcards  and 
80  centimes  per  kilogramme  for  other  articles,  for  distances 
exceeding  9,000  kilometres. 

The  sea  transit  rates  were  reduced  to  1  fr.  50  per  kilo- 
gramme for  letters  and  postcards  and  to  20  centimes  for  other 
articles,  for  distances  not  exceeding  300  nautical  miles;  to 
4  fr.  per  kilogramme  for  letters  and  postcards  and  to 
50  centimes  for  other  articles,  for  distances  exceeding  300 
nautical  miles,  between  countries  of  Europe,  between  parts 
of  Europe,  Africa,  and  Asia  on  the  Mediterranean  and  Black 
Seas,  and  between  Europe  and  North  America;  to  8  fr.  per 
kilogramme  for  letters  and  postcards  and  to  1  fr.  for  other 
articles,  for  all  routes  not  falling  under  the  above  headings. 

At  this  Congress  the  question  of  reducing  the  international 

'  Ibid.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  165. 

'  "  Pour  nous,  le  service  gratuit  est  un  reve,  un  beau  reve,  si  vous  voulez,  mais 
que  nous  ferions  bien,  en  gens  pratique,  de  laissej  a\;s;  reveijrs," — ^,  B.  WaJljle^, 
hnti^h  Pelegate,  ibicj.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  V^, 


276  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

letter  rate  was  raised  by  Sir  J.  G.  Ward,  the  Australasian 
delegate.  In  1901  New  Zealand  had  introduced  a  universal 
penny  rate  for  letters,  and  the  financial  results  of  the  change 
had  been  regarded  as  satisfactory.  The  loss  of  revenue  was 
some  dB80,000  in  the  first  year,  reduced  to  ^950,000  in  the 
second.  There  was  an  increase  of  35  per  cent,  in  the 
number  of  foreign  letters  posted  in  the  first  year,  as  com- 
pared with  an  increase  of  1'76  per  cent,  for  the  last  year 
under  the  2Jd.  rate.^ 

The  proposal  met  with  strong  opposition  and  little 
support.  The  opposition  was  based  entirely  on  financial 
considerations,  many  of  the  delegates  stating  that  their 
administrations  were  unable  to  face  the  sacrifice  of  revenue 
involved.  In  this  connection  the  term  "  sacrifice  of  revenue  " 
means  sacrifice  of  gross  revenue,  and  not  necessarily  that 
the  carrying  of  foreign  letters  at  a  penny  would  on  the 
whole  result  in  actual  loss  through  the  cost  of  service 
being  greater  than  a  penny,  although  it  is  probable  that 
the  cost  of  a  foreign  letter  weighing  as  much  as  an  ounce 
would  be  slightly  more  than  a  penny. ^  The  proposal  was 
defeated  by  eighteen  votes  to  three.3 

*  Documents  du  Congris  postal  de  Rome,  1906,  vol.  ii.,  p.  168. 

^  "The  British  Post  Office  itself  is  unable  to  agree  with  the  New  Zealand 
Government  that  the  sacrifice  of  net  postal  revenue  involved  would  be 
'temporary   in   duration   and  inconsiderable   in   amount.' 

*'  The  experience  of  the  British  Post  Office  in  connection  with  the  Imperial 
Penny  Postage  Scheme  shows  that  if  the  increased  cost  of  dealing  with 
increased  quantities  of  postal  matter  be  taken  into  account,  as  it  should  be, 
the  department  has  not  recovered,  and  cannot  recover,  the  loss  of  net  postal 
revenue  involved  by  the  reduction  of  the  Imperial  letter  rate,  which  was 
estimated  in  1898  at  £108,000  for  the  first  year. 

"  Becent  calculations  show  that,  in  the  case  of  a  letter  for  a  foreign  country, 
the  expense  to  the  Exchequer  can  be  taken  at  about  one  penny  per 
half-ounce  rate,  and  in  the  case  of  a  letter  for  a  Colony,  where  a  long  sea 
transit  is  generally  involved,  at  about  a  penny  farthing,  excluding  the  heavy 
cost  of  subsidized  packet  service." — Papers  laid  before  the  Colonial  Conference, 
1907 :  Memorandum  by  General  Post  Office  (Cd.  3524),  p.  499.  It  was  estimated 
that  the  introduction  of  universal  penny  postage,  together  with  the  ounce  unit 
{vide  supra),  would  involve  an  initial  loss  of  £640,000  a  year.     Ibid.,  p.  500. 

3  The  United  States,  Australasia,  and  Egypt  voted  in  favour  of  the  universal 
penny  rate.  Canada,  Great  Britain,  British  India,  and  Japan  abstained  from 
voting.  The  remainder  voted  against  the  proposal. — Voctiments  du  Conpris 
postal  de  Rome,  1906,  vol.  ii.,  p.  181, 


INTERNATIONAL   RATES  277 

(II)  INTERNATIONAL   PARCEL   POST 

The  Universal  Postal  Union  as  at  first  constituted  provided 
only  for  the  transmission  of  what  may  be  regarded  in  the 
broad  sense  as  letter  post  traffic.  It  made  no  provision 
for  the  transmission  in  the  international  service  of  packages 
of  ordinary  merchandise.  Such  packets  could  in  strictness 
only  be  forwarded  at  the  letter  rate,  which  was  almost 
prohibitive;  although  frequently  they  were  forwarded  at 
the  sample  rate,  in  which  case  the  weight  of  the  packet 
was  strictly  limited.  The  French  administration  proposed, 
in  the  project  of  the  Congress  of  Paris  of  1878,  to  extend 
in  that  direction  the  facilities  provided  by  the  Union,  by 
amplifying  the  definition  of  samples  to  include  small  parcels 
of  ordinary  goods,  ^  a  proposal  which  was  rejected  by  a 
majority  of  the  administrations.  It  was,  however,  submitted 
to  the  Congress  under  another  form.  The  German  adminis- 
tration proposed,  not  the  extension  of  the  sample  privilege, 
but  the  establishment  of  a  new  service,  which  should  provide 
for  the  transmission  of  parcels  of  general  merchandise  not 
exceeding  3  kilogrammes  in  weight,  the  parcels  to  be  charged 
a  rate  of  postage  sufficient  to  reimburse  the  administrations 
for  the  expenses  of  transmission.  Although  this  proposal 
was  favourably  received,  many  of  the  delegates  had  no  power 
to  enter  into  any  arrangement  of  that  nature.  The  question 
was  therefore  referred  to  the  International  Bureau,  with 
instructions  to  call  a  special  Conference  for  its  consideration, 
if  on  investigation  that  course  should  be  found  desirable. 

'  •'  Chaque  jour  de  nouvelles  difiicult^s  surgissent,  soit  dans  les  rapports  du 
public  avec  les  Administrations,  soit  dans  les  rapports  entre  les  Administrations, 
sur  la  definition  de  I'^chantillon.  Tel  objet  est  admis  dans  un  pays  et  refusd 
dans  un  autre.  Ici,  on  repousse  un  article  sans  valeur,  uniquement  parce 
qu'il  est  entier  et  on  en  exige  la  d^t(^rioration  ou  laceration ;  14,  au  contraire, 
cc  m^me  article  passe  sans  observation,  par  la  raison  qu'il  n'est  sujet  k  aucun 
droit  de  douane.  Cette  derni^re  doctrine  paraissant  la  plus  logique  et  la  plus 
conformo  k  I'esprit  liberal  de  1' Union,  qui  ne  saurait  refuser  au  commerce  des 
facilit^s  compatibles  avec  les  exigences  du  service,  on  a  pens6  que,  sous  la  double 
reserve  d'une  limite  de  poids  de  300  grammes  et  de  la  prohibition  des  articles 
sujets  aux  droits  de  douane,  il  y  aurait  un  simplification,  profitable  k  tout 
le  monde,  k  6tendre  la  qualification  d'echantillons  aux  menus  objets,  meme 
entiers  et  non  d6t6riores." — See  M.  E.  Ruffy,  L' Union  postale  unwerselle:  sa 
fondation  et  son  developpement,  Lausanne,  1900,  p.  G7. 


278  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

At  this  time  the  circumstances  in  the  different  countries 
in  regard  to  the  transmission  of  small  parcels  varied.  In 
some  a  service  was  provided  by  the  Post  Office ;  in  others, 
the  majority,  the  business  was  left  to  the  railways  or  other 
forms  of  commercial  transport.  In  all  cases  the  services 
between  different  countries  were  regulated  by  conventions 
and  agreements  on  such  terms  as  could  be  mutually  arranged 
between  the  contracting  parties.  In  general  the  rates  of 
postage  were  based  on  the  rates  for  inland  transmission  in 
each  of  the  countries  concerned.  They  were  often  extremely 
cornphcated,  and  several  administrations  had  mutually  agreed 
to  a  uniform  rate  for  parcels  not  exceeding  5  kilogrammes 
in  weight. 

The  suggestion  for  a  special  Conference  was,  in  general,  well 
received,  and  the  Conference  met  in  Paris  in  1880.  All  the 
countries  of  Europe  (except  Greece),  Canada,  the  United 
States,  Egypt,  British  India  and  Persia,  were  represented. 
The  fact  that  in  many  of  the  countries  the  Post  Office  had 
not  at  that  time  undertaken  the  transmission  of  parcels  was 
a  serious  obstacle  to  the  adoption  of  any  sort  of  general 
agreement ;  and  on  the  question  of  rates  there  was  divergence 
of  opinion  whether  the  principle  of  uniformity  should  be 
accepted,  and  a  fairly  high  maximum  limit  of  weight  con- 
ceded at  a  low  uniform  rate  of  postage,  in  order  that  the 
service  might  be  of  real  advantage  to  the  public,  or  whether 
the  rates  should  be  graduated  according  to  scales  of  weight 
and  distance. 

The  original  suggestion  had  been  for  a  limit  of  3  kilo- 
grammes, but  at  the  Conference  a  proposal  for  a  limit  of 
5  kilogrammes  was  submitted.  Several  delegates  were  unable 
to  accept  the  higher  maximum,  and  the  limit  originally 
proposed  was  retained.^  As  regards  the  rates  of  postage  to 
be  charged  there  was  also  diversity  of  opinion.  Some 
delegates  held  that  the  rate  should  be  so  fixed  as  to  avoid 
the  possibility  of   the  service  involving  an  administration  in 

^  "La  proposition  d'^lever  le  poids  des  paquets  de  3  ^  5  kilogrammes  modifie 
notablement  I'economie  du  projet;  c'est  la  substitution  d'un  vrai  service  de 
messagerie  au  transport  de  simples  colis  postaux,  Le  Gouvernement  anglais 
estime  que  le  transport  de  paquets  d'un  tel  poids  est  de  domaine  de  I'industrie 
privee." — S.  A.  Blackwood,  Docwnents  de  la  Conference  po stale  de  Paris,  1880, 
p.  GO. 


INTERNATIONAL   RATES  279 

loss,  while  others,  in  view  of  the  public  benefits  to  be  derived 
from  the  establishment  of  the  service,  were  prepared  to 
agree  to  rates  which  might  prove  insufiicient  to  cover  the 
expenses.^  Simple  uniform  rates  were  regarded  as  a  cardinal 
feature  of  a  postal  service  for  parcels. ^ 

After  prolonged  discussion  agreement  was  finally  arrived 
at,  and  a  Convention  was  signed  by  all  the  delegates,  with 
the  exception  of  those  representing  Great  Britain,  British 
India,  Holland,  and  Persia,  to  be  brought  into  operation  on 
the  1st  October  1881. 

Financial  considerations  were  the  chief  obstacle  in  the 
way  of  the  participation  of  Great  Britain.3 

The  contracting  parties  undertook  to  provide  a  mutual 
service  for  the  interchange  of  parcels  not  exceeding  3  kilo- 
grammes in  weight.  Liberty  of  transit  was  guaranteed 
throughout  the  territory  of  each  contracting  country,  and  for 
transit  services  the  respective  countries  were  to  be  remuner- 
ated as  follows :  The  administration  of  the  country  of  origin 
was  required  to  pay  to  the  administration  of  each  other 
country  concerned  in  the  transmission,  and  to  that  of  the 
country  of  destination,  50  centimes  for  each  parcel  in  respect 
of  land  transit.  In  cases  where  a  sea  transit  was  involved, 
the  sum  of  25  centimes  for  each  parcel  was  payable  on  sea 
routes  not  exceeding  500  nautical  miles ;  50  centimes  for 
routes  between  500  and  1,000  nautical  miles;  1  fr.  for  routes 
between    1,000   and    3,000  nautical   miles;    2   fr.   for  routes 

'  "Si  on  transporte  h  perte,  plus  le  trafic  sera  grand,  plus  les  d^penses  aug- 
menteront.  II  serait  en  disaccord  avec  les  vrais  principes  d'6conomio  politique, 
d'entreprendre  un  service  postal  dont  les  frais  p^seraient  sur  une  autre  branche 
de  I'exploitation  ou  seraient  k  la  charge  du  Tr^sor.  Un  ^conomiste  aussi  dis- 
tingue quo  M.  Fawcett  ne  pourrait  admettre  cette  th^orie." — 8.  A.  Blackwood, 
Documents  de  la  Conference  postale  de  Paris,  1880,  p.  60. 

"  M.  Giinther  fait  rcmarquer  a  M.  le  del^gu^  de  la  Su6de  que  le  nombre  des 
colis  6chang6s  entre  la  Suede  et  I'^tranger  n'etant  pas  tr6s  important,  son 
Administration  aurait  k  faire  peu  de  sacrifices," — Ibid.,  p.  55. 

=  '*  II  parait  de  toute  n^cessit^  d'adopter  un  droit  uniforme,  car  autrement, 
avec  un  tarif  variable  suivant  le  poids  ou  le  lieu  de  destination,  on  aurait  un 
service  des  messageries,  avec  de  nombreuses  taxes,  gradu^es,  et  non  plus  un 
service  tr^s  simple  de  colis  postaux." — M.  le  President ;  ibid.,  p.  55. 

3  '*  Quant  k  la  taxe  internationale  de  50  centimes,  sans  addition  possible, 
elle  ne  pent  etre  accepts  par  I'Administration  britannique  qu'elle  constituerait  en 
parte.  La  taxe  devant  6tre  partag^e  entre  I'Etat  et  les  Gompagnies,  une  somme 
de  50  centimes  ne  couvrirait  les  frais." — S.  A.  Blackwood,  ibid. 


280  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

between  3,000  and  6,000  nautical  miles  ;  and  3  fr.  for  all  routes 
exceeding  6,000  nautical  miles.  The  rate  of  postage  was 
based  on  the  foregoing  payments,  and  amounted  to  as  many 
times  50  centimes  as  there  might  be  administrations  concerned 
in  the  transmission,  with  the  addition  of  all  rates  for  sea 
transit,  and  with  the  reservation  that  each  country  might 
charge  an  additional  25  centimes  (raised  in  certain  cases  to  50, 
to  75  centimes,  or  to  1  fr.).  In  addition,  the  country  of 
destination  might  charge  a  delivery  fee  of  25  centimes.  It 
was  not  anticipated  that  these  rates  would  in  all  cases  be 
sufficient  to  cover  the  expenses  of  carrying  on  the  service, 
but  the  general  advantages  were  regarded  as  adequate 
compensation  for  any  monetary  sacrifice  which  might  be 
entailed.^  Any  administration  which  did  not  at  that  time 
conduct  a  parcel  post  service  was  authorized  to  arrange  for 
the  international  service  to  be  undertaken  on  its  behalf  by 
railway  and  steamship  companies. 

At  the  Lisbon  Congress  in  1886  the  maximum  limit  of 
weight  was  raised  to  5  kilogrammes,  at  which  point  it  remains, 
and  special  rates  were  established  for  parcels  which,  on 
account  of  their  size,  shape  or  fragility,  were  inconvenient  for 
transmission.2     Such    parcels,    which    had    previously    been 

*  '*  Le  commerce  surtout  vous  saura  le  meilleur  gr^  d'avoir  ^lev^  jusqu'^ 
3  kilogrammes  le  poids  des  petits  colis  transport's  par  la  poste,  et  d'avoir  abaisse 
la  taxe  k  un  chifire  minime.  Dans  bien  des  cas  meme,  ce  prix  ne  sera  pas 
I'equivalent  des  frais ;  et  les  Gouvernements  qui  consentent  k  ce  sacrifice 
m'ritent  une  gratitude  toute  particuli^re  ;  je  vous  I'exprime  ici  bien  volontiers 
et  bien  hautement  au  nom  de  la  France,  au  nom  de  1' Europe  et  au  nom  de 
rhumanit',  qui  profiteront  si  largement  du  progr^s  nouveau  que  vous  vonez  de 
r'aliser." — M.  Barthelemy  Saint-Hilaire,  Foreign  Minister  of  France,  to  the 
Conference ;  Documents  de  la  Conference  postale  de  Paris,  1880,  p.  180. 

'  The  convention  of  Washington,  1897,  defined  cumbersome  parcels  {colis 
encombrants)  as  follows : — 

"  (a)  Les  colis  d'passant  1  m^tre  50  centimetres  dans  un  sens  quelconque ; 

"  (6)  Les  colis  qui,  par  leur  forme,  leur  volume  ou  leur  fragility,  ne  se  pretent 
pas  facilement  au  chargement  aveo  d'autres  colis  ou  qui  demandent  des 
precautions  spdciales,  tels  que  plantes  et  arbustes  en  paniers,  cages  vides  ou 
renfermant  des  animaux  vivants,  boites  a  cigares  vides  ou  autres  boites  en 
fardeaux,  meubles,  vannerie,  jardinieres,  voitures  d'enfants,  rouets,  veloci- 
pedes, etc. 

"  Les  Administrations  qui  n'admettent  pas  les  colis  encombrants  ont  la 
faculte  de  limiter  k  60  centimetres  le  maximum  de  dimension  de  ces  objets. 
Les  Administrations  qui  assurent  des  transports  par  mer  ont  aussi  la  faculte  de 
limiter  a  60  centimetres  le  maximum  de  dimension  efc  k  25  decimetres  cubes  le 
volume  des  colis  postaux  destines  k  etre  transmis  par  leurs  services  maritimes 


INTERNATIONAL   RATES  281 

excluded  altogether  from  the  service,  were  now  admitted, 
subject  to  a  rate  of  postage  50  per  cent,  greater  than  the  rate 
on  ordinary  parcels. 

At  the  Congress  of  Washington  in  1897,  power  to  charge 
special  rates  was  given  to  the  administration  of  British  India, 
viz.  a  rate  not  exceeding  1  fr.  for  land  transit,  a  surtax  not 
exceeding  1  fr.  25  on  each  parcel  posted  or  delivered  in 
British  India,  and  a  scale  of  rates  graduated  according  to 
weight  on  all  parcels  posted  in  British  India,  provided  that 
the  average  receipt  of  the  Indian  administration  did  not 
exceed  1  fr.  75  for  each  parcel.'^  The  special  transit  charge 
was  abandoned  at  the  Kome  Congress  of  1906. 

No  changes  of  importance  were  made  at  the  Rome  Con- 
gress of  1906.  Several  proposals  in  regard  to  the  maximum 
limit  of  weight  were  discussed.  The  Bulgarian  delegates 
proposed  an  increase  of  the  maximum  to  50  kilogrammes, 
but  the  proposal  found  no  support. ^  The  Swiss  delegate 
proposed  an  increase  to  10  kilogrammes.  This  met  with 
some  support ;  but  in  view  of  the  practical  difficulties  which 
would  have  been  imposed  on  certain  administrations  in 
dealing  with  parcels  of  so  great  a  weight,  the  proposal  was 
negatived. 

The  Indian  delegate  proposed  the  insertion  of  a  provision 
enabling  any  country  to  charge  postage  on  parcels  originating 
in  that  country  according  to  a  scale  of  weights  of  its  own 
choice,  in  substitution  for  the  existing  single  rate. 3 

et  de  ne  les  accepter  au  del^  de  ces  limites  qu'i  titre  de  colis  encombrants." 
— Documents  du  Congrtis  postal  de  Washington,  1897,  p.  887. 

'  Ibid.  pp.  881-2. 

=  "  M.  Herman,  d^l^gu^  de  la  France,  declare  qu'il  est  impossible  d'entrer 
dans  les  vues  de  I'Administration  bulgare,  laquolle  semble  ne  plus  tonir 
compte  de  I'id^e  premiere  qui  a  conduit  k  la  creation  des  colis  postaux  pour 
r^change  d'objets  de  petit  poids,  k  des  prix  tr6s  mod^r^s.  En  errant  les 
colis  postaux,  les  Administrations  participant  n'ont  pas  eu  I'intention  de 
faire  concurrence  aux  compagnies  de  transport.  Si  les  tarifs  des  articles  de 
messagerie  sont  trop  Aleves,  ce  n'est  pas  ^videmment  k  I'Union  postale  de  les 
diminner."— Documents  du  Congris  postal  de  Ro7ne,  1906,  Berne,  1906,  vol.  ii., 
p.  381. 

3  **I1  n'y  a  aucun  besoin  ou  avantage  k  son  avis,  d'avoir  une  taxe  uniforme 
pour  les  colis  de  mSme  categoric  de  poid3  cxpMi^s  de  diff^rents  pays.  Pour 
les  lettres,  cetto  uniformit(^  a  I'avantago,  pour  I'exp^diteur,  de  connaltre,  dans 
n'importe  quel  pays,  le  prix  du  port  des  lettres.  Mais,  pour  un  colis  postal, 
I'expc^^diteur  doit  toujours  aller  au  bureau  de  poste  pour  y  dc^poser  la  declaration 
en  douane  ot,  aussi,  pour  connaltre  le  tarif  qui  varie  selon  le  nombre  des  pays 


282  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

The  general  proposal  was  rejected/  but  a  clause  was  added 
provisionally  according  to  India  the  faculty  of  applying  to 
parcels  posted  in  India  a  tariff  graduated  by  weight,  provided 
the  mean  of  the  rates  was  not  in  excess  of  the  normal  rate 
of  the  Union. 

The  land  transit  rate  remained  unchanged,  viz.  50  centimes 
for  each  country  participating  in  the  territorial  transit. 

Kussia  was  given  power  to  collect  a  transit  fee  of  1  fr.  25 
per  parcel  in  respect  of  both  Kussia-in-Europe  and  Russia- 
in-Asia,  separately ;  and  Turkey  to  collect  a  transit  rate  of 
1  fr.  25  on  a  parcel  sent  across  Turkey-in-Asia.  Owing  to 
the  undeveloped  state  of  the  transport  services  in  Persia, 
that  administration  was  empowered  provisionally  to  decline 
the  transport  of  parcels  for  and  from  other  countries. 

The  maritime  transit  rates  were  reduced  to  the  following : — 

25  centimes  for  transits  not  exceeding  500  nautical  miles 
50  centimes  „  500-2,500 

1  fr.  „  2,500-5,000 

l^fr.  „  5,000-8,000  ,, 

2  fr.  „         exceeding  8,000  ,,  „ 

For  parcels  not  exceeding  1  kilogramme  the  transit  rate 
should  in  no  case  exceed  1  fr. 

et    services   interm^diaires." — M.   Kisch,    Delegate   for    India,    Documents  du 
Congr^s  postal  de  Rome,  1906,  Berne,  1906,  vol.  ii.,  p.  391. 

'  "N'est-ce  pas  pr^cis^ment  I'unit^  de  tarif  qui  caract^rise  le  colis  postal? 
Elle  est  tr^s  appreci^e  du  commerce  dont  elle  facilifce  les  operations.  Si  Ton 
entre  dans  la  voie  de  la  taxation  au  poids,  commo  pour  les  articles  de 
messagerie,  ce  sera  un  recul." — M.  Mazoyer,  Documents  du  Cmgr^s  postal  de 
Rome,  1906,  Berne,  1906,  vol.  ii.,  p.  393. 


VII 

AN    ANALYSIS    OF    COST 


METHOD 

The  Post  Office  ^  performs  but  one  service  in  respect  of  the 
ordinary  postage  paid  on  a  packet,  under  whatever  rate  or 
regulations  the  packet  is  posted.  Whether  the  packet  be 
a  letter,  a  postcard,  a  halfpenny  packet,  a  newspaper  packet 
or  a  parcel, 2  the  service  performed  in  respect  of  the  ordinary 
postage  is  simply  to  transmit  the  packet  without  delay  to 
the  place  of  its  address.3 

*  The  analysis  relates  to  the  British  inland  service  in  1913-14. 
^  The  number  of  packets  sent  at  the  blind  post  rate  is  very  small  compara- 
tively (some  300,000  a  year),  and  those  packets  are  therefore  not  considered 
separately. 

3  In  general,  for  any  supplemental  service  an  additional  fee  is  charged,  the 
only  exceptions  being  that,  in  the  case  of  a  packet  sent  at  the  letter  rate  of 
postage,  if  the  person  to  whom  it  is  addressed  cannot  be  traced,  the  packet 
is  returned  to  the  sender  without  charge;  and  that  under  certain  conditions 
the  address  written  on  any  packet  (but  not  the  name  of  the  person  to  whom 
it  is  addressed)  may  be  amended,  and  the  packet  sent  forward,  without  payment 
of  additional  postage.  Parcels  are  forwarded  to  a  second  address  in  this  way 
free  of  charge  only  when  the  first  address  and  the  substituted  address  are  within 
the  delivery  of  the  same  post  office,  or  are  within  the  same  "  town  delivery  area." 
In  certain  circumstances  the  Post  Office  itself  undertakes  to  amend  the  address 
and  forward  packets  in  this  way  free  of  charge — that  is  to  say,  to  "  redirect." 
These  are,  however,  minor  services,  and  apply  only  to  a  small  fraction  of  the 
total  number  of  packets  posted.  For  example,  the  actual  proportion  redirected 
is  as  follows  : — 

Per  cent,  of 
Total  Number  posted. 

Letters 2-2 

Postcards  ..  ..  4*0 

Halfpenny  packets         . .  . .  . .  . .  . .         2*0 

Newspapers  ..         ..  ..  ..  ..  ..         1-7 

The  service  of  free  redirection  applies  to  all  classes  of  packets;  but  for  the 
return  to  the  sender  in  case  of  non-delivery  of  postcards,  halfpenny  packet  , 


284  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

There  are,  of  course,  several  intermediate  stages  in  the 
progress  of  the  packet  from  the  place  of  posting  to  the 
place  of  delivery.  Under  the  most  favourable  circumstances, 
as  in  the  case  of  a  letter  from  one  small  town  to  another 
small  town  for  which  there  is  a  direct  mail,  the  packet  is 
handled  two  or  three  times  by  various  officers ;  and  in  many 
cases,  as  with  the  letters  from  a  suburb  of  one  large  town 
to  a  suburb  of  another  large  town,  or  to  a  place  in  a  rural 
district  or  vice  versa,  as  many  as  ten  or  tw^elve  times. 

Although  the  character  of  the  service  to  be  performed,  viz. 
transmission  to  the  place  of  its  address,  is  identical  in  every 
case,  the  character  of  the  packet  naturally  has  considerable 
influence  on  the  nature  and  cost  of  handling  at  the  various 
stages,  and  the  methods  adopted  in  dealing  with  the  packet. 
But  the  operations  are  in  essence  the  same,  and  the  chief 
difference  is  in  the  amount  of  time  occupied  and  the  nature 
of  the  office  fittings  employed. 

This  variation  of  cost  and  method  does  not  correspond 
with  variation  in  the  rate  of  postage  paid  on  the  packets. 
Except  in  the  case  of  parcels,  all  distinction  on  the  basis 
of  rates  of  postage  disappears  once  the  sorting  office  is 
reached. 

In  regard  to  the  chief  indoor  operations  there  is,  except  at 
the  smallest  offices,  complete  separation  between  packets  sent 
by  parcel  post  and  all  other  packets ;  but  parcels  are  in  some 
cases  taken  out  with  other  packets  for  delivery  at  the  same 
time  and  by  the  same  officer.  Except  in  rural  districts  they 
are,  however,  generally  taken  out  separately  for  the  first 
morning  delivery,  and  frequently  for  the  last  evening  delivery. 
Speaking  broadly,  there  is  as  regards  delivery,  as  for  other 
operations,  essential  separation  between  parcels  and  all  other 
classes  of  packets. 

In  regard  to  packets  other  than  parcels,  the  chief,  and  in 
many  cases  the  only,  separation  in  actual  handling  is  as 
between   those  packets   which   can   be  passed    through    the 

or  newspapers,  an  additional  rate  of  postage  is  charged,  and  the  packets  are 
only  so  returned  when  they  bear  on  the  outside  a  written  or  printed  request 
for  return  in  case  of  non-delivery.  This  inquiry  relates  only  to  the  cost  of  the 
simple  transmission  and  delivery  of  the  packet,  and  consideration  of  all  other 
services,  such  as  registration  or  express  delivery,  is  excluded. 


AN  ANALYSIS   OF  COST  285 

stamping  machine  and  those  which  cannot ;  and  between 
those  packets  which  can  conveniently  be  dealt  with  at 
the  ordinary  letter-sorting  frames,  and  tied  in  bundles 
for  enclosure  in  the  mail-bags,  and  those  which  on  account 
of  their  irregular  size  and  shape  are  sorted  at  pigeon-hole 
frames,  and  cannot  be  tied  in  bundles,  but  are  forwarded 
loose  in  the  mail-bags.  The  dividing  line  is  almost  identical 
in  both  cases,  and  is  determined  by  the  size  and  shape 
of  the  packet.  In  the  largest  offices  more  divisions  are  made, 
in  some  cases  as  many  as  five.^ 

The  more  usual  number  is  three,  **  short  letters,"  "long 
letters,"  and  other  packets. ^  The  division  of  the  packets 
is  made  in  all  cases,  not  with  reference  to  the  various 
rates  of  postage  under  which  the  packets  may  have  been 
posted,  but  with  the  view  simply  of  securing  that  packets 
of  the  same  shape  and  size  shall,  as  far  as  possible,  be 
brought  together,  and  their  subsequent  handling  thereby 
facilitated. 

In  cases  where  there  are  four  or  five  such  divisions  of  the 
packets,  the  separation  is  likewise  made  from  considerations 
independent  of  the  rates  of  postage,  although  it  happens  that, 
as  a  rule,  a  large  proportion  of  the  packets  posted  under  a 
given  rate  fall  into  a  certain  group.  Thus  all  postcards  fall 
to  be  handled  with  the  short  letters ;  all  newspapers  fall  to 
be  handled  with  the  heavier  packets  sent  at  the  letter  rate ; 
and  a  large  proportion  of  the  halfpenny  packets,  viz.  the 
short  halfpenny  packets,  fall  to  be  handled  with  the  short 
letters. 

There   are   in   general   three   methods   of   handling.      The 

*  In  London  there  are  the  following  divisions : — 

(1)  "  Short  Letters  "  (including  postcards  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  half- 
penny packets).  Halfpenny  packets  which  are  of  such  size  as  to  admit  of 
handling  with  the  short  letters  are  referred  to  as  "  short  halfpenny  packets." 

(2)  "  Long  Letters"  (for  the  most  part  letters  of  foolscap  size). 

(3)  "  Circulars  "  (that  is,  packets  sent  at  the  letter  rate  or  by  the  halfpenny 
packet  post,  posted  in  large  numbers  at  one  time  and  generally  of  uniform  size 
but  which  cannot  conveniently  be  dealt  with  at  the  ordinary  letter-sorting 
frames). 

(4)  "Packets"  (that  is,  packets  which  are  bulky  or  of  irregular  shape  and 
cannot  therefore  bo  sorted  at  the  ordinary  sorting  frames). 

(5)  "  Newspapers." 

'  Divisions  2  and  3,  and  divisions  4  and  5,  described  in  the  preceding  footnote, 
being  combined. 


286  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

sorting  is  done  either  at  the  ordinary  open  frames,  or  at  the 
newspaper  frames,  or  directly  into  the  mail-bags,  the  two 
latter  methods  being  alternative.  Short  letters  are  dealt 
with  at  the  ordinary  sorting  frames.  Long  letters  (which 
include  a  large  proportion  of  ''  circulars ")  are  dealt  with 
in  some  cases  at  the  ordinary  frames,  and  in  some  cases 
at  the  frames  provided  for  the  larger  packets  (the  *'  news- 
paper "  frames) .  All  other  packets  are  dealt  with  at  the 
newspaper  frames,  or  are  sorted  directly  into  the  mail-bags 
in  those  cases  where  frames  for  hanging  the  bags  are 
provided.  Stamping  is  performed  either  by  hand  or  by 
machine. 

When  first  brought  into  the  sorting  office  the  packets  are 
placed  on  an  open  table,  and  the  ordinary  letters,  circular 
letters,  and  postcards  are  arranged  in  order  with  the  addresses 
in  the  same  direction,  or,  as  it  is  termed,  "  faced."  Simul- 
taneously, all  other  packets  are  picked  out  for  treatment 
separately.  The  postage  labels  affixed  to  the  letters  and 
other  packets  are  then  obliterated  with  a  dated  stamp.  After 
stamping,  the  letters  and  packets  are  taken  to  the  respective 
sorting  tables,  where  they  are  separated  (in  one  or  more 
operations)  into  groups  corresponding  to  the  various  towns 
to  which  they  will  be  despatched.  Before  enclosure  in  the 
mail-bags,  all  short  letters,  postcards,  and  short  halfpenny 
packets,  and  some  of  the  long  letters,  are  tied  in  bundles,  other 
packets  being  sent  loose. 

From  the  first  office  of  destination  many  of  the  packets 
are  sent  forward  to  another  office,  since  it  is  naturally  not 
possible  always  to  enclose  a  packet  in  a  direct  mail-bag  for 
the  town  to  which  it  is  addressed.  These  packets  are  re- 
sorted and  despatched.  The  letters,  etc.,  for  immediate 
delivery  do  not  require  to  be  faced,  as  they  are  received  in 
bundles,  in  which  they  are  arranged  with  the  addresses 
in  the  same  direction.  But,  except  when  received  for  the 
first  morning  delivery,  letters  are  stamped  to  show  the 
date  and  time  of  receipt,  after  which  they  are  sorted  in 
the  order  of  delivery,  and  delivered  by  the  postmen. 

In  the  delivery  of  the  packets  one  division  is  made,  viz. 
between  the  short  letters,  postcards,  and  short  halfpenny 
packets,  which  are  tied  in  bundles ;  and  the  letter  packets  and 


AN  ANALYSIS  OF  COST  287 

halfpenny  packets  of  irregular  size  and  shape,  and  the  news- 
papers, which  are  carried  loose  in  the  delivery  bag.  The 
postman  takes  out  of  his  bag  a  bundle  of  letters,  etc.,  from 
which  he  delivers  in  order.  These  have  been  sorted  up  in  the 
order  of  delivery  at  the  sorting  office,  so  that  no  time  is  lost  in 
finding  the  proper  letter  for  delivery.  It  is  not  possible,  how- 
ever, to  arrange  the  irregular-shaped  packets  in  this  manner. 
When  the  postman  has  such  a  packet  to  deliver,  he  has  first 
to  find  it  among  those  in  his  bag.  He  then  frequently  finds 
that  it  is  too  large  to  be  put  through  the  letter-box,  and 
further  time  is  lost  in  gaining  the  attention  of  the  house- 
holder.^ 

There  is,  therefore,  in  the  matter  of  delivery,  a  heavy 
balance  against  the  heavier  and  more  bulky  packets,  as  com- 
pared with  the  short  letters,  postcards,  and  short  halfpenny 
packets. 

As  regards  the  actual  transmission  from  post  office  to  post 
office,  there  is  only  one  real  division  of  the  whole  of  the 
packets,  viz.  that  between  the  parcel  post  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  whole  of  the  remaining  classes  of  packets  on  the 
other.  In  a  number  of  cases  separate  mails  are  made  up 
for  newspapers  and  large  packets ;  but  compared  with  the 
total  number  of  mails,  the  number  of  such  separate  mails 
is  small,  and  the  arrangement  may  be  regarded  as  exceptional. 
In  a  considerable  number  of  cases,  however,  packets  sent 
at  the  parcel  post  rate  are  enclosed  in  the  same  mail-bag 
with  packets  sent  at  other  rates.  The  arrangement  is  made 
somewhat  extensively  for  mails  from  a  post  town  to  sub- 
ordinate and  other  small  offices  in  the  immediate  neighbour- 
hood, but  only  exists  in  those  cases  where  the  number  of 
parcels  to  be  enclosed  is  small.  As  in  every  case  where  on 
the  average  as  many  as  eight  parcels  are  available  at  the 
time  of  despatch  a  separate  mail  may  be  made  up,  the 
arrangement  does  not  exist  extensively  between  any  large 
centres  with  any  considerable  traffic ;  but  it  has  been  extended 
in  recent  years,  and  the  total  number  of   parcels   forwarded 

'  The  postman  docs  not  rely  on  his  memory  to  discover  at  which  houses 
he  has  packets  to  deliver.  Usually  he  reverses  in  the  bundle  of  letters  that 
letter  for  delivery  next  preceding  a  packet.  A  complication  is  thus  introduced 
jn  the  preparq.tioQ  of  the  sjjort  letters  for  delivery. 


288  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

in  this  way  forms  an  appreciable  proportion  of  the  total 
number  of  parcels  sent  by  post.  There  is  in  these  cases, 
so  far  as  mails  conveyed  by  railway  are  concerned,  complete 
separation  in  regard  to  one  important  element  of  cost,  viz. 
the  cost  of  conveyance.  Separate  payment  for  the  conveyance 
of  parcels  is  made  under  the  arrangement  established  by  the 
Parcel  Post  Act ;  while  comprehensive  payments  are  made 
for  the  conveyance  of  all  other  packets,  arranged  by  nego- 
tiation with  the  individual  railway  companies  or,  failing 
agreement,  fixed  by  the  Court  of  Railway  and  Canal  Com- 
mission in  the  manner  prescribed  by  statute.^ 

The  handling  of  a  postal  packet  from  posting  to  delivery 
therefore  comprises  the  following  operations  in  order : — 

Collection,  Conveyance, 

Pacing,  Stamping,^ 

Stamping,  Sorting, 

Sorting,  Delivery ; 

and  in  the  case  of  those  packets  which  pass  through  more 
than  one  office  there  are,  for  every  such  office,  the  additional 
operations  of  sorting  and  conveyance. 3 

The  bags  are  conveyed  between  the  various  post  offices  by 

»  2  &  3  Vict.,  cap.  98  and  56  &  57  Vict.,  cap.  38. 

=  In  recent  years  the  stamping  at  the  office  of  receipt  has  been  to  a  large 
extent  dispensed  with. 

3  In  addition  to  these  principal  operations  there  are  certain  minor  operations. 
The  packets  are  in  general  sorted  on  frames,  from  which  they  are  collected 
at  intervals  and  taken  to  the  despatching  table  for  enclosure  in  the  mail-bags. 
Here  the  short  letters,  etc.,  are  tied  in  bundles  (as  explained  above),  and  in 
many  cases  a  label  is  affixed,  on  which  the  name  of  the  office  of  destination 
is  written  by  the  despatching  officer.  Next  a  letter  bill  is  prepared.  On  this 
are  entered  particulars  of  the  mail  and  of  registered  letters.  The  bundles 
of  letters,  etc.,  the  loose  packets,  the  registered  letters  and  the  letter  bill  (to 
which  are  tied  all  packets  which  are  insufficiently  prepaid  and  are  to  be 
charged  on  delivery),  are  enclosed  in  a  mail-bag  on  which  is  stencilled  the 
name  of  the  office  of  destination,  and  in  some  cases  particulars  of  the 
route  to  be  followed.  The  bag  is  then  tied,  sealed,  and  sent  forward.  The 
despatch  of  each  bag  is  recorded,  as  is  the  receipt  of  each  bag  from  another 
office. 

The  opening  of  bags  at  the  office  of  receipt  also  comprises  a  distinct  series 
of  operations.  First  the  letter  bill  is  obtained  and  examined.  The  receipt 
of  the  registered  letters  and  charged  packets  is  verified,  and  the  letters  and 
packets  are  withdrawn  for  special  treatment.  The  bag  is  then  emptied  on 
the  "  opening  table,"  reversed,  in  order  to  ensure  that  no  packets  are  over- 
looked, and  the  contents  distributed  for  sorting. 


AN  ANALYSIS  OF  COST  289 

mail- van  (horse-drawn  or  motor),  by  mail-cart,  by  railway, 
or  in  a  few  cases  by  carrier-cycle,  tricycle,  or  motor-cycle. 
The  vans,  carts,  or  cycles  of  course  convey  the  bags  from 
office  to  office,  but  when  the  bags  are  sent  by  railway  it 
is  necessary  to  provide  for  their  conveyance  to  and  from 
the  railway  stations.  This  is  largely  done  by  mail-.van,  mail- 
cart,  or  carrier-tricycle;  but  in  a  great  number  of  cases 
throughout  the  country,  where  only  two  or  three  small  bags 
are  concerned,  their  conveyance  between  the  station  and 
the  post  office  is  provided  for  by  cycle  postman  or  "runner" 
service;  that  is  to  say,  the  bags  are  fetched  or  taken  by 
a  postman  or  porter. 

COST 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  cost  of  dealing  with  postal  packets 
of  the  various  classes,  the  relative  cost,  and  the  actual  cost,  of 
the  various  operations  must  be  ascertained,  and  all  general 
charges  apportioned. 

The  cost  of  the  "  postal "  service,  shown  in  Table  B,^  i.e. 
the  cost  of  the  whole  of  the  services  controlled  by  the  Post 
Office,  less  the  cost  of  the  telegraphs  and  telephones,  may  be 
grouped,  as  shown  in  Table  C,  under  the  following  main 
headings  : — 

(1)  Cost  of  Staff, 

(2)  Cost  of  Conveyance  of  Mails, 

(3)  Cost  of  Buildings, 

(4)  Cost  of  Stores,  and  Miscellaneous  Expenditure. 

Staff 

Since  parcels  are,  to  a  considerable  extent,  dealt  with 
separately,  it  has  been  possible  to  estimate  the  relative  cost 
of  the  manipulative  services  in  regard  to  parcels  on  the  one 
hand,  and  all  other  postal  packets  (letters,  postcards,  half- 
penny packets,  and  newspapers)  on  the  other.  The  ratios  of 
cost  are  shown  in  Table  D,  and  the  total  cost  of  the  manipu- 
lative services  in  respect  of  parcels  calculated  on  this  basis  is 
shown  in  Table  F. 

•  See  infra,  p.  297  (from  Postmaster-OeneraVs  Report^  1913-14,  Appx.  N). 

20 


290  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

No  similar  ratios  of  relative  cost  have  been  estimated  in 
regard  to  the  various  classes  of  packets  other  than  parcels, 
since  they  are  dealt  with  together,  and  it  is  necessary,  there- 
fore, to  ascertain  the  actual  cost  for  staff  under  the  various 
headings  of  collection,  stamping,  sorting,  and  delivery.  As 
regards  collection,  it  is  difficult  to  discover  a  basis  on  which  a 
computation  of  the  relative  cost  for  the  different  classes  of 
packets  may  be  made,  because  the  cost  varies  greatly,  not  only 
as  between  each  class,  but  from  place  to  place,  in  regard  to  any 
particular  class  of  packet.  Many  of  the  ordinary  letter  packets 
are  posted  in  large  numbers  at  head  post  offices,  and  in  respect 
of  packets  so  posted  there  is  no  cost  of  collection.  Light 
letter  packets  and  halfpenny  packets  (especially  halfpenny 
packets)  are,  moreover,  handed  in  at  post  offices  in  considerable 
numbers  for  prepayment  of  postage  in  cash.  In  that  case 
the  cost  of  subsequent  handling  is  slightly  reduced,  because 
under  the  regulations  for  such  prepayment  the  packets  must 
be  tied  in  bundles  with  the  addresses  in  the  same  direction, 
that  is  to  say,  the  operation  of  facing  must  be  performed  by 
the  person  who  posts  the  packets.  Against  this,  however, 
must  be  set  the  very  considerable  expense  incurred  both  in 
towns  and  rural  areas  for  the  collection  of  ordinary  light 
letter  packets,  postcards,  halfpenny  packets,  and  newspaper 
packets  from  posting  boxes,  and  the  cost  of  van  services,  which 
are  frequently  provided  for  the  collection  of  letters  from 
business  premises.  Very  little  of  the  cost  of  these  services 
can  be  attributed  to  the  heavier  letter  packets,  which  are 
to  a  large  extent  handed  in  at  the  post  office  counter 
to  be  weighed.  This  involves  considerable  expense,  which 
corresponds  to  cost  of  collection,  and  may  be  dealt  with  under 
that  heading.  The  best  estimate^that  can  be  made  is  that 
the  cost  of  collection  per  packet  is  approximately  the  same  in 
all  cases. 

Facing  and  stamping  may  be  regarded  as  one  operation,  the 
one  being  really  preparatory  to  the  other.  Here  there  is  less 
difficulty.  The  relative  cost  per  packet  may  fairly  be  taken 
as  the  ratio  of  the  time  taken  in  performing  the  operation  in 
the  case  of  each  class  of  packet.  In  regard  to  facing  and 
stamping,  and  also  in  regard  to  sorting,  the  letter  packets 
proper,  that  is  to  say  packets  sent  at  the  ordinary  letter  rate 


AN  ANALYSIS  OF  COST  291 

of  postage,  fall  in  general  into  three  classes  according  to  the 
facility  with  which  they  can  be  handled,  viz.  (1)  "  short 
letters,"  (2)  "long  letters,"  (3)  ''letter  packets"  (that  is,  the 
bulky  packets  sent  at  the  letter  rate).^  In  order  to  complete 
the  calculation,  the  number  of  packets  which  fall  respectively 
into  these  three  classes  must  be  estimated. 

It  has  been  indicated  that  the  actual  division  is  made 
according  to  the  size  and  shape  of  the  packets.  The  division 
corresponds  approximately  with  variation  in  weight.  Few 
packets  weighing  more  than  f  ounce  would  come  within  the 
class  of  short  letters,  that  is,  of  letters  which  can  be  dealt  with 
at  the  ordinary  sorting  frames ;  but  as  there  is  no  analysis  of 
the  number  of  packets  of  less  than  1  ounce  weight,  there  is  no 
alternative  to  the  adoption  of  1  ounce  as  the  limit  of  this 
class.2  The  effect  of  this  is  slightly  adverse  to  the  short  letters 
and  favourable  to  the  heavier  packets.  As  between  long 
letters  and  the  heavier  packets  the  limit  is  less  definite.  In 
many  cases  packets  of  the  same  weight  fall  into  one  or  other 
class  according  to  their  size  or  shape,  but  the  mean  weight 
of  such  indeterminate  packets  is  roughly  4  ounces,  and  that 
weight  is  adopted  as  giving  the  mean  upper  line  of  division  for 
long  letters. 

In  Table  H  are  shown  the  relative  rates  of  stamping  and 
sorting  for  each  of  the  various  classes  of  packets. 

The  proportionate  cost  per  packet  of  stamping  and  of 
sorting,  based  on  the  rates  shown  in  Table  H,  is  given  in 
Table  J.3     The  actual  cost  is  shown  in  Table  L. 

As  regards  the  cost  of  delivery  some  difficulty  presents 
itself.  Letter  packets,  postcards,  halfpenny  packets,  and 
newspaper  packets  are,  in  all  cases,  taken  out  for  delivery 
by  the  same  postman,  and  it  is  not  possible,  therefore,  as 
with  stamping  and  sorting,  to  ascertain  the  rates  of  work 
for  the  various  classes  of  packets.  But  the  features  in  the 
different   packets   which    lead    to   differences  in  the  rate  of 

•  Cf.  supra,  p.  285. 

'  See  The  Post  Office,  an  Historical  Summary,  London,  1911,  p.  11. 

3  There  is  practically  no  short-distance  newspaper  traffic,  and  it  is  probable 
that,  on  the  average,  newspaper  packets  undergo  one  more  intermediate  handling 
than  packets  sent  at  the  letter  rate.  In  the  absence  of  precise  information,  no 
adjustment  of  the  relative  cost  for  sorting  has  been  made  on  this  account.  The 
result  will,  therefore,  be  slightly  to  the  advantage  of  the  newspaper  packets. 


292  KATES  OP  POSTAGE 

sorting,  viz.  weight  and  irregularity  of  shape  and  size,  lead 
also  to  differences  in  the  time  taken  for  delivery.  In  practice 
the  postman  makes  a  division  of  the  packets ;  and  the  time 
occupied  in  the  delivery  of  the  bulky  and  irregular  packets  is 
greater  proportionately,  as  compared  with  the  time  occupied 
in  the  delivery  of  ordinary  letters,  than  is  the  time  occupied  in 
sorting.  It  is  not  possible,  however,  to  estimate  with  any 
degree  of  exactness  the  relative  amount  of  time  actually 
occupied  in  delivering  packets  of  the  various  classes,  and 
for  the  division  of  the  cost  of  delivery  (Table  J)  the  rates 
adopted  for  the  division  of  the  cost  of  sorting  are  taken.  This 
method  favours  the  bulky  and  irregular-shaped  packets. 

Conveyance 

The  cost  of  conveyance  of  letter  mails  by  railway  forms 
by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  whole  cost  of  conveyance. 
The  cost  of  conveyance  of  letter  mails  by  road  and  sea, 
estimated  on  such  data  as  are  available,  is  shown  in  Table  M. 
As  the  total  cost  of  the  conveyance  of  mails  is  known,  the 
total  cost  of  the  conveyance  of  parcel  mails  can  be  ascertained 
(Table  M).  The  best  basis  for  division  of  this  cost  is  the 
gross  weight  of  the  various  classes  of  packets.  Payment  is 
made  purely  on  a  weight  basis  in  respect  of  the  conveyance 
of  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  mails,  and,  so  far,  division 
on  the  basis  of  weight  is  correct.  But  payment  for  the 
conveyance  of  a  proportion  of  the  mails  is  made  on  the  basis 
of  the  cost  of  providing  for  the  conveyance,  and  more  or  less 
independently  of  the  weight  carried.  This  applies  in  the  case 
of  mail-carts,  motor- vans,  or  special  trains  which  do  not  carry 
a  full  load.  The  amount  paid  in  such  cases  is  a  single  sum, 
calculated,  so  far  as  letter  mails  are  concerned,  without  reference 
to  the  fact  that  postal  packets  of  different  classes  are  to  be  con- 
veyed— without  indeed,  in  some  cases,  much  reference  to  the 
fact  that  any  given  quantity  of  mails  is  to  be  conveyed.  In 
the  absence  of  an  assigned  basis  of  payment  which  can  be  used 
to  divide  such  sums,  the  division  between  the  various  classes  of 
packets  is  made  in  proportion  to  the  total  weight  of  each  class. 
In  Table  N  is  shown  the  division  of  the  whole  cost  of  convey- 
ance of  letter  mails  between  the  various  classes  on  this  basis. 


AN  ANALYSIS  OF  COST  293 

General  Charges 

Separate  statistics  are  obtainable  (Table  B)  in  regard  to 
(a)  buildings  and  office  fittings,  and  (b)  stores,  but  no  exact 
estimate  can  be  made  of  the  cost  of  administration  and 
accounting. 

The  cost  for  buildings  and  office  fittings  is  divided  as 
between  parcels  and  other  packets  on  the  basis  defined  in 
Table  D ;  and  as  between  the  various  classes  of  packets 
other  than  parcels,  on  the  basis  of  the  gross  weight  of  the 
packets  (Table  0) . 

The  cost  for  stores,  including  the  small  sum  under  the 
heading  "  Miscellaneous  Expenditure,"  is  similarly  divided 
as  between  parcels  and  other  packets.  As  between  the 
various  classes  of  packets  other  than  parcels,  the  cost  is 
divided  on  the  basis  of  simple  numbers  (Table  P). 

The  cost  for  administration  and  accounting,  which  is 
comparatively  small, ^  cannot  be  stated  exactly.  It  is  con- 
tained in  the  total  cost  of  staff  (Table  C),  and  is  consequently 
divided  between  the  various  classes  in  the  same  proportion 
as  the  cost  of  the  manipulative  staff. 

Tables  A  to  Q  show  the  complete  calculation. 

Table  Q  shows  the  final  result,  which  is  that  the  average 
total  cost  of  dealing  with  postal  packets  is  as  follows  : — 

For  an  ordinary  letter —  d. 

Under  1  ounce          -382 

Over  1  ounce,  under  4  ounces -747 

Over  4  ounces           ..         ..         ..         ..         ..  1-404 

For  an  average  letter  packet         . .         . .         . .         . .  -457 

For  a  postcard          . .         . .         . .  -353 

For  a  halfpenny  packet      . .         . .         . .         . .         . .  '432 

For  a  newspaper  packet 1-063 

For  a  parcel 7*091 

For  the  letter  packets  under  1  ounce  in  weight,  for  those 
between  1  ounce  and  4  ounces  in  weight,  for  the  halfpenny 
packets  and  for  the  postcards,  the  estimated  average  cost  will 
be  approximately  the  actual  cost  per  packet ;  but  in  the  case 
of  letter  packets  over  4  ounces  in  weight  and  newspaper 
packets,  the  variations  in  weight  and  convenience  of  handling 
are  considerable,  and  there  will  be  an  appreciable  variation 
'  It  has  been  estimated  at  •075d.  per  letter. 


294  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

for  individual  packets  above  and  below  the  estimated  average 
cost.  The  cost  will  vary  with  the  weight  and  size  (but  not 
proportionately),  and  the  deviation  will  be  greatest  in  the  case 
of  the  heavier  packets,  since  with  both  these  classes  the 
average  weight  of  the  great  bulk  of  the  packets  is  less  than 
the  general  average.  Of  all  letter  packets,  postcards,  half- 
penny packets  and  newspapers,  the  number  exceeding  4  ounces 
in  weight  forms  less  than  10  per  cent.  With  so  small  a  propor- 
tion of  heavy  packets  the  result  may  be  taken  as  almost  exact 
in  the  case  of  the  lighter  packets.  It  is  not  in  excess  of  the 
actual  cost,  because  the  calculation,  taken  as  a  whole,  is 
biassed  in  favour  of  the  heavier  packets. 

The  resultant  figures  are  figures  of  average  cost.  They 
represent  the  cost  of  those  packets  in  each  class  in  respect  of 
which  the  average  amount  of  service  is  performed,  and  not 
exceptional  cases,  as  when  packets  travel  over  very  long 
distances,  or  when  a  packet  is  redirected  or  returned  to  the 
sender,  in  which  latter  cases  obviously  double  the  normal 
service  is  performed. 

The  calculation  is  approximate  in  that  at  certain  points  it 
has  been  necessary  to  frame  estimates  on  imperfect  data. 
This  is  inevitable  in  dealing  with  a  service  conducted  over  a 
large  area  and  under  diverse  conditions. ^  In  general  the 
manner  in  which  the  result  is  affected  by  the  use  of  imperfect 
data  has  been  indicated.  These  variations  have  been  borne  in 
mind  throughout,  and,  as  their  effects  are  produced  in  varying 
directions,  the  combined  effect  is  not  such  as  to  invalidate  the 
results  arrived  at. 

The  result  suggests  the  following  conclusions  : — 

(1)  That  no  class  of  packet  sent  at  the  letter  rate  of  postage  involves  a  loss  to 
revenue ; 

(2)  That  there  is  a  large  profit  on  ordinary  light  letters  ; 

(3)  That  in  the  case  of  packets  of  the  weight  of  about  4  ounces  the  profit  is 
less,  but  is  still  appreciable  ; 

(4)  That  there  is  a  considerable  profit  on  postcards  ; 
(6)  That  there  is  a  profit  on  the  halfpenny  packets  ; 

(6)  That  there  is  a  heavy  loss  on  the  newspaper  packets,  averaging  nearly  J^d. 
per  packet ; 

(7)  That  as  regards  packets  other  than  parcels,  the  principle  of  uniformity  of 
rate,  irrespective  of  distance,  is  well  founded.    The  cost  of  conveyance  (OTd.  per 


*  Of.  sti^a,  p.  158, 


AN  ANALYSIS   OF  COST  295 

packet)  is  still,  in  the  phrase  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill,   "not  expressible  in  the 
smallest  coin  ' '  ; 

(8)  That  as  regards  the  cost  of  conveyance  there  is  no  case  for  a  reduced 
rate  of  postage  for  local  letters  ; 

(9)  That  as  between  local  letters  and  other  letters  there  is  appreciable 
difference  in  the  cost  of  handling,  but  this  difference  would  not  be  sufficient 
to  justify  a  discrimination  measurable  in  coin ; 

(10)  That  the  parcel  post  is  conducted  at  considerable  loss.  If  the  cost  be 
taken,  as  shown  in  Table  L,  at  7*091d.  per  parcel,  the  loss  is  on  the  average 
almost  2|d.  per  parcel,  or  nearly  £1,250,000  on  the  total  number  of  parcels  dealt 
with  in  1913-14.  The  matter  is,  however,  complicated  by  the  question  whether 
a  strictly  mathematical  proportion  of  the  total  expenses  of  the  Post  Office  can 
fairly  be  charged  against  the  parcel  post.* 


See  suj^a,  p.  127,  n.  2,  and  infra,  p.  334. 


296 


RATES  OF  POSTAGE 


TABLE    A 

TOTAL  NUMBERS  DEALT  WITH  IN  THE  UNITED  KINGDOM, 

1913-14. 


Letters          

Postcards 

Halfpenny  Packets 

Newspaper  Packets. . 
Parcels 

3,488,800,000 ' 
924,250,000  = 

1,211,400,0003 
207,100,000 
133,663,000  4 

Total 

5,965,213,000 

*  In  this  number  35*5  million  undelivered  packets  and  124*5  million  redirected 
packets  are  included  twice.  The  service  performed  in  respect  of  both  these 
classes  of  packet  is,  however,  at  least  twice  as  great  as  that  performed  in  respect 
of  an  ordinary  packet ;  and  as  it  is  desired  to  estimate  the  cost  of  the  normal 
service,  no  adjustment  of  the  numbers  is  made  on  this  account. 

The  total  number  actually  delivered  was  3,477,800,000,  but  of  these,  162-3 
millions  were  foreign  and  colonial  letters.  As  the  number  of  foreign  and  colonial 
letters  despatched  {184*3  millions)  exceeds  the  number  received,  and  a  foreign  or 
colonial  letter  received  plus  a  foreign  or  colonial  letter  delivered  may  be  taken 
as  equivalent  to  an  inland  letter  fully  dealt  with,  the  number  delivered  in  the 
United  Kingdom  has  been  adjusted  by  adding  half  the  difference  between  the 
number  of  foreign  and  colonial  letters  despatched  and  received  respectively. 

=  Number  of  postcards  delivered,  926*5  millions. 

Number  of  foreign  and  colonial  postcards  delivered  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
23*3  millions  ;  number  despatched,  18*8  millions. 

3  Number  of  packets  actually  delivered,  1,172*3  millions. 

Number  of  foreign  and  colonial  packets  of  printed  matter,  commercial  papers, 
and  samples  received,  44*7  millions  ;  number  despatched,  122*9  millions. 

4  Number  of  parcels  delivered,  132,700,000.  Number  of  foreign  and  colonial 
parcels  received,  1,991,975 ;  number  despatched,  3,917,860. 


AN   ANALYSIS  OF  COST  297 


TABLE    B 

STATEMENT  OP  EXPENDITURE  IN  THE  YEAR  1913-14  IN  CON- 
NECTION WITH  THE  POSTAL  SERVICES,  INCLUDING  MONEY 
ORDER  AND  POSTAL  ORDER  BUSINESS,  BUT  EXCLUDING 
POST  OFFICE  SAVINGS  BANK  AND  GOVERNMENT  ANNUITY 
BUSINESS. 

£ 

(a)  Salaries,  Wages  and  Allowances ..  10,538,318 

(6)  Rent,  Rates,  Office  Fittings,  Water,  Light  and  Heating  . .  268,981 

(c)   Conveyance  of  Mails  (excluding  Payments  to  Foreign  and 
Colonial  Administrations)  :— 

£  £  £ 

By  Rail- 
Ordinary  Postal  Packets       ..    1,292,460 

Parcels 1,197,037 

2,489,497 

By  Road 662,010 

„   Packet 890,530 

4,042,037 

Less — 
Contributions  received  towards  the  cost  of  Packet  and 

Mail  services  130,335 


3,911,702 

(d)  Purchase  of  Stores  and  Uniform  Clothing       . .         . .         . .  452,066 

(e)  Manufacture  of  Stamps,  etc 128,000 

(/)  Travelling,  Law  Charges,  and  Incidental  Expenses  . .         ..  180,527 

{g)  Estimated  Rental  Value  of  premises  belonging  to  the  Post 

Office  used  for  Postal  purposes        . .  278,344 

(h)  Estimated  Pension  liability  for  the  year  . .         . .         ..  1,169,406 

Amount  expended  by  other  Government  Departments  in 
respect  of  various  services  rendered,  viz.  : — 

£ 

(i)   Maintenance  and  Repair  of  Buildings 160,200 

(j)  Rates  on  Government  Property 95,676 

(k)  Issue  of  Postage  Stamps 22,193 

(1)    Stationery,  Printing,  etc 112,308 

(w)  Cost  of  Audit  (Exchequer  and  Audit  Department)    . .  3,612 

393,989 

(n)  Net  Revenue  contribution  to  the  Exchequer  for  the  year    . .  6,143,459 

£23,464,791 


—Anrnial  Report  of  the  Postmaster-General,  1913-14,  Appx.  N,  p.  92. 


298  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

TABLE    C 

STATEMENT   OF  EXPENDITURE,  SUMMARIZED   AND   ADJUSTED. 

Items  in  Table  B.  Net  Cost. 

{a)  and  {h)    Staff,  £11,707,724. 

Deduct —  £  £ 

(1)  Officers  in  charge  of  Eastern  Mails 1,000 

(2)  Post  Office  Agencies  Abroad 17,000 


(3)  Cost  of  Services  to  other  Departments 


(4) 
(5) 
(6) 
(7) 
(8) 
(9) 


,   ,.  516,789 

excluding      ^^^^^ 

^^^'"^^       530,000 


Money  Order  Service  . . 

Postal  Order  Service  . . 

Registration  and  Insurance  Service  . .     264,000 

Express  Delivery  Service       . .         . .         . .       52,000 

Private  Boxes  and  Bags        41,000 

Cash  on  Delivery  Service,  Reply  Coupons, 
Certificates  of  Posting,  Late  Pee 
Services,  etc 50,000 


Proportion  allocated  to  Staff    1,444,264    10,263,460 
(6),  (gr),  (i),  and  (.;)    Buildings,  £803,201. 
Deditct — 
In  respect  of  (3),  (4),  (6),  (6).  (7),  (8),  and  (9)  above     . .       96,587         706,614 

(c)    Conveyance  of  Mails,  £3,911,702. 
Deduct — 

(1)  Packet  Services  outside  the  United  Kingdom        . .     582,935 

(2)  Conveyance  of  Mails  across  Panama  . .         . .         2,931 

(3)  Receipts  from  Foreign  Countries  for  Land  Transit      51,000 


636,866      3,274,836 
(d),  (e),  (fc),  and  (Z)    Stores,  £714,566. 
Deduct — 
In  respect  of  (3),  (4),  (5),  (6),  (7),  (8),  and  (9)  above       . .      86,938         627,628 

(/)  and  (m)    Miscellaneous       184,139 


Total     ..         ..      £16,056,677 


AN   ANALYSIS   OF  COST 


299 


TABLE  D 

COST  OF  STAFF  AND   BUILDINGS. 

In  the  examination  of  proposals  for  revisions  of  staff  and  accommodation  at 
post  offices,  the  whole  work  of  the  offices  is  reduced  to  a  common  denominator 
for  each  chief  division  of  the  work,  and  is  stated  in  terms  of  that  denominator. 

Thus  all  indoor  work  is  reduced  to  and  expressed  in  terms  of  units  repre- 
senting the  work  in  connection  with  1,000  letters  posted  and  delivered,  the  term 
*'  letter,"  in  this  connection  covering  all  packets  sent  by  post  other  than  parcels. 
There  are  no  ratios  for  the  separate  classes  of  "  letters." 

All  outdoor  work  is  reduced  to  and  expressed  in  terms  of  a  unit  of  1,000  letters 
(posted  and  delivered),  i.e.  the  complete  service. 

For  office  accommodation  the  unit  is  1,000  letters  posted  or  delivered,  which- 
ever is  the  greater  number  at  the  office  in  question. 

Certain  ratios  are  taken  for  the  expression  in  terms  of  letters  of  the  various 
divisions  into  which  the  work  performed  by  the  post  office  falls. 

As  between  letters  and  parcels  the  ratios  are  as  follow  : — 

Units  Ratios.  * 


Value  in  Lbttbbs. 

Indoor 
Work. 

Outdoor 
Work. 

OflBce 
AccoDQinodation. 

Letter  posted     . . 
,,      delivered 
,,      forwarded 
,,      collected 

Parcel  posted     . . 
,,      delivered 
,,      forwarded 
,,      collected 

3 

6 
6 
4 

1            j 
X 

10 
10a; 

( 1  (whichever  is  the 
(    greater  traffic) 
\ 

6 
6 
6 

1,000  letters  (weekly)  =  1  unit  of  postal  work. 

For  each  unit  of  work  so  determined  there  is  a  corresponding  normal  cost. 

For  indoor  work  the  normal  cost  is  approximately  £15,  for  outdoor  work 
£22  10s.,  and  for  office  accommodation  £2  10s.,  per  annum. 

Since  the  imit  to  which  a  certain  normal  cost  is  allowed  is  built  upon  calcula- 
tions which  give  a  parcel  a  definite  relative  value  as  compared  with  a  letter,  the 
ratios  show  the  relative  cost  to  the  Post  Office  of  a  letter  and  of  a  parcel. 


300  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 


TABLE   E 

RELATIVE  COST  OF   STAFF  FOB  LETTERS  AND  PARCELS. 

It  is  estimated  that  on  the  average  more  than  half  the  total  number  of  letters 
are  not  sent  forward  direct  to  the  post  office  of  destination,  but  are  forwarded 
from  the  office  at  which  they  are  posted  to  an  intermediate  office ;  that  is  to  say, 
more  than  half  the  total  number  of  letters  travel  in  two  mails,  and  incur  a 
handling  at  an  intermediate  office.  The  handling  at  that  office  is  termed 
"forwarding."  The  letters  are  termed  "forward  letters.'"  Expressed  in 
another  way,  the  estimate  is  that  all  letters  are  forwarded,  on  the  average, 
in  1*6  mails. 

It  is  estimated  that  on  the  average  a  greater  proportion  of  parcels  travel  in 
this  way  in  two  mails.     The  actual  estimate  is  that  a  parcel  travels  in  1-8  mails. 

Hence — 

Total  handling  of  1  letter  =  1  letter  posted  +  1  letter  delivered  +  0*6  letter 

forwarded. 
Total  handling  of  1  parcel  =  1  parcel  posted  -f- 1  parcel  delivered  +  0'8  parcel 

forwarded. 
Now  a  letter  forwarded  =  ^  letter  posted  and  delivered  (Table  D). 
And  a  parcel  forwarded  =  J  parcel  posted  and  delivered  (Table  D). 
Hence  total  handling  of  1  letter  =  1-2  letter  posted  and  delivered. 
And  total  handling  of  1  parcel  =  1*26  parcel  posted  and  delivered. 

The  ratio  between  the  total  cost  of  handling  (indoor)  of  1  letter  and  the  total 
cost  of  handling  (indoor)  of  1  parcel  is  therefore — 

1-2x1:  1-26  X  12  =  1  :  12-6. 

The  normal  unit  cost  for  indoor  work  is  £15  (approximately). 

For  outdoor  work  the  ratio  is  1 :  10,  and  the  normal  unit  cost  £22  10s. 

The  ratio  for  all  indoor  and  outdoor  services  is  therefore  approximately  1 :  11. 


»  This  definition  indicates  the  strict  nature  of  *•  forward "  packets.  In 
practice  it  is,  however,  impracticable  to  divide  postal  packets  precisely  on 
these  lines,  and  the  actual  statistics  of  "forward"  packets  are  not  exactly 
accurate.  The  practical  division  approximates,  however,  to  the  line  of  the  exact 
division. 


AN  ANALYSIS   OF  COST  301 


TABLE   F 

ACTUAL  COST  OF  STAFF  FOR  LETTERS  AND  PARCELS. 

The  total  cost  of  handling  a  parcel  is  11  times  the  total  cost  of  handling  a 
packet  other  than  a  parcel  (Table  E). 

In  1913-14  the  total  number  of  parcels  dealt  with  was  133,663,000  (Table  A). 

The  cost  of  handling  these  parcels  was  equivalent  to  the  cost  of  handling 
133,663,000  X  11  =  1,470,293,000  packets  other  than  parcels. 

In  1913-14  the  total  number  of  packets  other  than  parcels  dealt  with  was 
5,831,550,000  (Table  A). 

And  the  total  cost  of  staff  engaged  in  dealing  with  all  packets,  including 
parcels,  was  £10,263,460  (Table  C). 

Hence  the  total  cost  of  handling  133,663,000  parcels  was 

£10.263,400  X  J;g?||^  =  £2.066,642. 

And  the  total  cost  of  handling  5,831,550,000  packets  other  than  parcels  was 
£8,196,818. 


302  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 


TABLE   G 

ANALYSIS  OF  COST  OF  STAFF. 
Letter  Mails. 
Total  Cost,  £8,196,818. 

The  handling  of  postal  packets  falls  into  the  following  groups  of  operations  : — 

(a)  Collection  and  delivery, 

(6)  Facing,  stamping,  and  sorting, 

(c)  Administration  and  accounting. 

The  cost  of  administration  and  accounting  when  reduced  to  the  individual 
packet  is  extremely  small.  In  general  also  it  varies  to  some  extent  with  the  size 
of  the  packet.  Thus  the  newspaper  packets  and  the  halfpenny  packets,  which 
are  considerably  heavier  than  the  ordinary  letters,  notoriously  involve  more 
difficulty  and  expense  in  administration  ;  and  the  postcard,  the  lightest  postal 
packet,  notoriously  involves  least  difficulty  and  expense  in  administration. 
Parcels  undoubtedly  involve  much  more  expense  for  accounting  than  any  other 
class  of  packet ;  so  that  if  the  expense  for  administration  and  accounting  be 
divided  in  the  ratio  adopted  for  sorting,  stamping,  collection,  and  delivery, 
which  also  depends  largely  on  the  weight  of  the  packet,  no  appreciable 
error  is  introduced.  No  attempt  is  made,  therefore,  to  isolate  the  expense  for 
administration  and  accounting. 

The  total  cost  of  collection  and  delivery  is  estimated  to  be  double  the  total 
cost  of  facing,  stamping,  and  sorting. 

The  cost  of  delivery  is  estimated  to  be  four  times  the  cost  of  collection. 

The  cost  of  sorting  is  estimated  to  be  four  times  the  cost  of  facing  and 
stamping. 

The  total  cost  of  handling  packets  other  than  parcels  (excluding  cost  of 
conveyance)  =  £8,196,818. 

Hence — 


£ 

Total  cost  of  collection                        =  1,092,909 

„        „        facing  and  stamping    =     546,455 

„         sorting                              =  2,185,818 

delivery                            =  4,371,636 

Total     ..         ..     £8,196,818 

AN   ANALYSIS  OF  COST 


303 


TABLE    H 

RELATIVE  RATES  OP  SORTING  AND  STAMPING. 


Relative  Rate 
of  Stamping, 

Relative  Rate 
of  Sorting. 

Ordinary  Letter  Packets— 

(a)  not  exceeding  1  oz 

(6)  over  1  oz.,  not  exceeding  4  oz.  . . 

(c)  over  4  oz 

Postcards 

Halfpenny  Packets 

Newspaper  Packets            

1,000 
75 
76 

1,000 

750 

80 

100 
75 
60 

100 
90 
70 

Note  I.  The  rates  both  as  regards  stamping  and  as  regards  sorting  are  not 
actual  but  relative  rates.  In  both  cases  the  handling  of  an  ordinary  light  letter 
is  taken  as  the  standard  with  which  the  rate  of  handling  other  articles  is  com- 
pared. The  table  is  intended  to  indicate,  e.g.,  that  if  in  a  given  period  of  time 
100  ordinary  light  letters  would  be  sorted,  only  75  letters  weighing  between  1  ounce 
and  4  ounces,  or  only  90  halfpenny  packets,  would  be  sorted  in  the  same  period ; 
or  if  in  a  given  period  of  time  1,000  ordinary  light  letters  would  be  stamped,  only 
75  letters  over  1  ounce  in  weight,  or  only  80  newspapers,  would  be  stamped  in  the 
same  period.  All  that  is  aimed  at  is  the  normal  relative  rate  of  sorting  for  each 
class  of  packet.     It  is  not  necessary  to  ascertain  the  normal  absolute  rate. 

Note  II.  Rates  of  Stamping. — In  determining  rates  of  stamping,  a  serious 
complication  is  introduced  by  the  use  of  machines  (both  hand  and  power)  at 
many  offices  for  stamping  certain  classes  of  packets.  In  London,  where  approxi- 
mately one-third  of  the  total  number  of  postal  packets  is  posted,  power  machine- 
stamps  are  employed,  except  at  a  few  of  the  sub-district  sorting  offices,  at  which 
hand  machine-stamps  are  still  employed.  There  are  a  few  of  the  smaller  offices 
at  which  all  the  stamping  is  done  by  hand,  but  the  number  of  such  offices  and 
the  number  of  packets  so  stamped  is  negligible.  The  power  machine  stamps 
at  rates  varying  from  12  to  16  times  as  great  as  that  of  an  officer  stamping  by 
hand  ;  the  hand  machine  stamps  at  a  rate  about  ten  times  as  great. 

Power  machine-stamps  are  in  use  in  the  provinces  in  towns  in  which  approxi- 
mately a  quarter  of  the  total  number  of  postal  packets  is  posted. 

Hand  machine-stamps  are  in  use  in  other  towns  in  the  provinces  where 
approximately  one-twelfth  of  the  total  number  of  postal  packets  is  posted. 

In  the  remaining  towns  there  is  hand  stamping  only. 

The  foregoing  estimates  give  an  average  rate  of  stamping  throughout  the 
kingdom  for  those  classes  of  packets  which  are  of  a  size  and  shape  to  pass 
through  the  machine-stamp,  where  available,  of  about  ten  times  as  great  as 
that  of  an  officer  stamping  by  hand. 


304  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

TABLE  H  {continued) 

This  figure  must  now  be  applied  to  the  various  classes  of  packets  shown  in  the 
table,  in  conjunction  with  the  rates  of  hand-stamping  for  such  packets  as 
cannot  be  passed  through  the  machine-stamp. 

{a)  Practically  all  letters  under  1  ounce  ,can  be  passed  through  the  machine- 
stamp  if  available.  Hence  the  rate  for  this  class  is  ten  times  the  rate  of 
hand-stamping. 

(6)  None  of  the  second  or  third  classes  of  packets  can  be  passed  through  the 
machine.  Further,  these  packets  are  of  irregular  shape  and  are  therefore  much 
less  convenient  to  deal  with  than  ordinary  letters.  The  rate  of  hand-stamping 
is  therefore  only  about  three-fourths  the  rate  for  ordinary  letters. 

(c)  All  postcards  can  be  passed  through  the  machine-stamp  if  available.  The 
rate  is  therefore  ten  times  the  rate  of  hand-stamping. 

{d)  A  large  proportion  of  halfpenny  packets  cannot,  on  account  of  their  size 
and  shape,  be  passed  through  the  machine-stamp,  and  the  figure  for  the  machine- 
stamp  must  be  considerably  reduced  for  these  packets.  The  nearest  estimate 
that  can  be  formed  for  these  packets  is  7  "5  times  the  rate  for  hand-stamping. 

(e)  Newspapers  cannot  be  passed  through  the  machine-stamp,  but  in  a  number 
of  cases  the  wrappers  are  taken  to  the  post  office  before  the  newspapers  are 
enclosed  in  them  for  cancellation  of  the  postage  stamps  (in  order  to  secure 
a  prompt  despatch  when  the  newspapers  are  actually  posted).  The  rate  for  such 
stamping  is  slightly  greater  than  the  rate  of  hand-stamping  for  ordinary  letters. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  rate  of  stamping  newspaper  packets  is  not  more  than 
two-thirds  the  rate  of  hand-stamping  ordinary  letters.  The  nearest  estimate 
that  can  be  formed  for  all  newspapers  is  that  the  rate  of  stamping  is  four-fifths 
the  rate  of  hand- stamping  ordinary  letters. 

Note  III.  Rates  of  Sorting. — (a)  The  average  rate  of  sorting  for  ordinary 
letters  is  taken  as  the  unit. 

(6)  The  rate  of  sorting  letters  and  the  rate  of  sorting  postcards  may  be  taken 
as  identical. 

(c)  Owing  to  the  irregular  shape  of  newspaper  packets,  and  letter  packets  over 
4  ounces  in  weight,  the  average  normal  rate  of  sorting  must  be  taken  as  consider- 
ably less  than  that  for  letters. 

Both  classes  are  usually  sorted  at  the  packet  tables  and  not  at  the  ordinary 
letter  frames. 

{d)  The  letter  packets  between  1  ounce  and  4  ounces  in  weight  present  some 
difficulty,  since  they  include  a  considerable  number  of  long  letters,  which  are 
sorted  at  the  ordinary  letter  frames  at  nearly  the  same  rate  as  short  letters, 
while  the  rest  are  sorted  at  the  packet  tables  at  about  the  same  rate  as  the 
heavier  packets.     The  figure  should  obviously  be  between  (a)  and  (c). 

(e)  The  halfpenny  packets  also  fall  into  two  classes  :  (1)  those  sorted  as  short 
letters,  and  (2)  those  sorted  at  the  newspaper  frames.  A  very  large  proportion 
fall  into  the  second  class,  and  the  average  normal  rate  of  sorting,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  second  class  of  letter  packets,  is  intermediate  between  (a)  and  (c). 


AN   ANALYSIS   OF  COST 


305 


TABLE  J 

STAFF. 

This  table  shows  the  relative  cost  per  packet,  based  on   the   rates  of   work 
(Table  H),  the  cost  of  an  ordinary  letter  being  taken  as  the  unit. 


Description  of  Packet. 

Collection. 

Facing  and 
Stamping.' 

Sorting. 

Delivery.' 

Ordinary  Letter  Packets— 
(a)  not  exceeding  1  oz. . . 
(6)  over    1   oz.,   not  ex- 
ceeding 4  oz. 
(c)  over  4  oz 

Postcards     . . 

Halfpenny  Packets 

Newspaper  Packets 

1 
1 

1 

k 

1 

H 
1 

H 

^ 

11 

'  Adjusted  to  allow  for  the  fact  that  two  men  are  needed  to  work  the  msKihine- 
stamp.     The  cost  of  the  machine-stamp  itself  is  a  negligible  item. 

=  For  the  relative  cost  of  delivery  the  same  rates  are  taken  as  for  the  cost  of 
sorting.  There  are  no  data  on  which  any  actual  comparison  can  be  based,  but  it 
is  obvious  that  the  same  features,  viz.  irregularity  of  shape  and  size,  which  lead 
to  differences  in  the  cost  of  sorting  lead  to  similar  differences  in  much  the  same 
degree  in  the  cost  of  delivery. 


TABLE   K 


STAFF  (RELATIVE  COST). 

This  table  shows  the  ratios  in  Table  J  weighted  according  to  the  number  of 
packets  in  each  class. 


Description  of  Packet 

Collection. 

Facing  and 
Stamping. 

Sorting. 

Delivery. 

Ordinary  Letter  Packets— 
(a)  not  exceeding  1  oz. . . 
(6)  over    1   oz.,    not  ex- 
ceeding 4  oz. 
(c)  over  4  oz 

Postcards 

Halfpenny  Packets 

Newspaper  Packets 

1 

0113 
0045 
0-306 
0-402 
0-069 

1 

0-755 
0-299 
0-306 
0-503 
0-430 

1 

0-151 
0075 
0-306 
0-447 
0-098 

1 

0-151 
0-075 
0-306 
0-447 
0-098 

21 


306 


RATES   OF  POSTAGE 


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AN  ANALYSIS   OF   COST  307 


TABLE    M 

CONVEYANCE. 

Toted  Cost  of  Conveyance  of  Mails  ivithm  the  United  Kingdom  : 

£ 

{a)  For  Conveyance  by  Railway 2,435,666 

(6)     „  ,,  „  Road        662,010 

(c)     „  „  „  Sea  177,260 

Total    ..         ..  £3,274,836 

Of  the  payment  for  conveyance  by  railway,  £1,238,529  is  the  cost  of  the 
conveyance  of  letter  mails,  and  £1,197,037  the  cost  of  the  conveyance  of  parcel 
mails. 

The  payment  for  conveyance  by  road  is,  on  such  estimate  as  can  be  made, 
assignable  in  equal  proportions  between  letter  mails  and  parcel  mails. 

Of  the  payment  for  conveyance  by  sea,  £150,000  is,  on  such  estimate  as  can 
be  made,  assignable  to  the  conveyance  of  letter  mails. 

The  cost  of  the  conveyance  of  letter  mails  is  therefore — 

£ 

By  Railway  1,238,529 

„  Road 331,005 

„  Sea        150,000 

Total    ..         ..  £1,719,634 

And  the  cost  of  the  conveyance  of  parcel  mails  is — 

£ 

By  Railway  1,197,037 

„  Road 331,005 

„   Sea 27,260 

Total  ..         ..  £1,665,302 


308 


RATES   OP  POSTAGE 


TABLE   N 

CONVEYANCE:   ANALYSIS  OF  COST. 

Letter  Mails. 

Total  Cost,  £1,719,534. 

Cost  of  conveyance  is  assigned  between  the  various  classes  of  packets  in 
proportion  to  the  gross  weight. 


Description  of  Packet. 

Gross  Weight.i 

Cost  of 
Conveyance. 

Ordinary  Letter  Packets — 

{a)  Not  exceeding  1  oz 

(6)  Over  1  oz.,  not  exceeding  4  oz.  . . 

(c)  Over  4  oz.     . .         

Postcards 

Halfpenny  Packets         

Newspaper  Packets         

lb. 
67,200,000 
41,700,000 
54,000,000 
8,203,000 
37,705,000 
55,192,000 

£ 
437,734 
271,600 
351,700 
53,450 
245,600 
359,450 

'  The  average  weight  of  letter  packets  not  exceeding  1  ounce  is  0-357  ounce. 
The  average  weight  of  all  letter  packets  is  0*747  ounce.  In  the  case  of  packets 
between  1  ounce  and  2  ounces  the  average  weight  is  assumed  to  be  1*4  ounces ; 
and  2*6  ounces  in  the  case  of  those  between  2  ounces  and  4  ounces. 

Of  ordinary  letter  packets,  86-34  per  cent,  do  not  exceed  1  ounce  in  weight, 
5*25  per  cent,  are  between  1  ounce  and  2  ounces,  and  4-53  per  cent,  are  between 
2  ounces  and  4  ounces  in  weight. 

The  average  weight  of  a  postcard  is  0*142  ounce,  of  a  halfpenny  packet 
0-498  ounce,  and  of  a  newspaper  packet  4-264  ounces  (97 "57  per  cent,  containing 
only  one  newspaper,  average  weight  4-159  ounces  ;  2-43  per  cent,  containing  two 
or  more  newspapers,  average  weight  8-461  ounces). 


AN  ANALYSIS  OF  COST  309 


TABLE   O 

BUILDINGS. 
Total  Cost,  £706,614. 

Twelve  times  as  much  office  accommodation  is  required  in  respect  of  a  parcel 
as  in  respect  of  a  packet  other  than  a  parcel  (Table  D). 

Hence — 

The  total  cost  of  buildings  may  be  divided  as  between  parcels  on  the  one  hand 
and  all  packets  other  than  parcels  on  the  other  hand  in  the  ratio — 

133,663,000  X  12  :  5,831,550,000 
i.e.    1  :  3-6367 

The  total  cost  for  buildings  chargeable  to  parcels  is  therefore  £152,428,  and  the 
total  cost  for  buildings  chargeable  to  other  packets  is  £554,186. 

The  latter  sum  is  assigned  between  the  respective  classes  of  packets  in  propor- 
tion to  the  gross  weight  of  each  class  (Table  N)  as  follows  : — 

Oost  for  Buildings. 

Ordinary  Letter  Packets—  £ 

(a)  Not  exceeding  1  oz 141,066 

(6)  Over  1  oz.,  not  exceeding  4  oz.             . .         . .  87,536 

(c)  Over  4  oz 113,356 

Postcards 17,220 

Halfpenny  Packets 79,150 

Newspaper  Packets            115,858 

Total    . .         . .  £554,186 

This  division  gives  an  advantage  to  the  light  packets  as  compared  with  the 
heavier  packets  sent  by  Letter  Post ;  but,  as  between  parcels  and  other  packets, 
an  advantage  is  given  to  parcels  (cf .  supra.  Table  E). 


310  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 


TABLE    P 

STORES  AND  MISCELLANEOUS  EXPENDITURE. 

Total  cost,  £811,767. 

As  between  parcels  and  other  packets  respectively,  this  amount  is  assigned 
on  the  unit  basis,  reckoning  one  parcel  equivalent  to  twelve  other  packets 
(Table  D). 

As  between  the  various  classes  of  packets  other  than  parcels,  the  amount 
is  assigned  on  the  basis  of  simple  numbers. 

Ordinary  Letter  Packets —  & 

(a)  Not  exceeding  1  oz 328,857 

(&)  Over  1  oz.,  not  exceeding  4  oz 37,251 

(c)  Over  4  oz 14,779 

Postcards 100,904 

Halfpenny  Packets            132,254 

Newspaper  Packets            22,610 

Parcels          175,112 

Total     ..         ..  £811,767 


This  method  gives  an  advantage  to  the  heavy  packets. 


AN  ANALYSIS   OF  COST 


311 


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VIII 
CONCLUSION 

In  relation  to  the  rate  of  postage,  the  traffic  of  the  Post 
Office  falls  into  two  main  groups :  on  the  one  hand  light 
letters  and  packets  approximating  to  that  type,  and  on  the  other 
the  heavier  packets  and  parcels.  This  division  corresponds 
with  an  important  difference  in  the  practical  working  of 
the  Post  Office  service,  the  task  of  providing  for  the  trans- 
mission of  ordinary  letters,  hundreds  of  which  can  be  con- 
veyed by  foot-messenger  without  difficulty,  being  one  entirely 
different  from  that  of  providing  for  the  transmission  of  larger 
packets,  a  few  scores  of  which  would  render  necessary  the 
use  of  a  vehicle. 

As  to  the  transmission  of  letters.  Sir  Kowland  Hill  first 
perceived  the  significance  of  the  fact  that  with  objects  of 
light  weight  the  cost  of  conveyance,  even  over  great  distances, 
is  small,  and  in  his  scheme  of  reform  he  consciously  applied 
this  fact  to  the  determination  of  the  rate  of  letter  postage. 
This  consideration  remains ;  and  as  regards  the  ordinary 
letters  of  business  or  private  communication — the  average 
weight  of  which  is  less  than  half  an  ounce — the  principle 
of  uniformity  of  rate  irrespective  of  distance,  which  is  now 
the  characteristic  of  letter  postage,  is  well  founded.  Of  the 
whole  expense  of  conducting  the  postal  services,  the  expense 
of  the  actual  conveyance  of  a  letter  from  place  to  place  is 
not  only  small  as  compared  with  the  cost  of  the  terminal 
services  of  collection  and  delivery,  but  is  actually  so  small  in 
amount  that  no  monetary  system  provides  a  coin  of  sufficiently 
small  value  to  make  its  collection  a  practical  possibility.     The 

312 


CONCLUSION  313 

uniform  rate,  by  making  practicable  the  system  of  prepayment 
of  postage  by  means  of  adhesive  labels,  has,  moreover,  effected 
great  economy  in  the  working  of  the  service,  and  its  simplicity 
is  a  boon  to  the  public,  the  more  so  as  it  has  been  possible  to 
fit  the  common  rate  to  a  popular  coin.  A  low  uniform  rate 
is,  however,  only  made  possible  from  the  financial  standpoint 
by  the  Post  Office  monopoly  of  the  carriage  of  letters,  although 
that  monopoly  is  justified  on  other  grounds.  With  a  uni- 
form rate,  owing  to  the  varying  conditions  under  which  the 
service  is  conducted  in  different  districts,  there  is  inevit- 
ably a  variation  in  the  amount  of  profit.  In  certain  cases, 
the  rate  is  actually  unprofitable;  and  were  private  under- 
takings permitted  to  compete  for  the  more  profitable  traffic, 
such  as  the  local  traffic  in  large  centres  of  population,  the 
profits  of  the  Post  Office  would  be  reduced  to  vanishing- 
point. 

Improvements  in  the  means  of  communication  have 
naturally  had  considerable  effect  on  the  development  of  the 
Post  Office.  The  introduction  of  the  stage-coach  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  and  of  railways  and  steamboats  in 
the  nineteenth,  in  turn  revolutionized  the  methods  of  general 
transportation.  By  these  improvements  the  capacity  of  the 
Post  Office  was  largely  increased,  and  regularity,  rapidity, 
and  increased  frequency  of  service  made  possible.  But  such 
general  improvements,  while  of  the  utmost  importance  as 
regards  the  capacity  and  character  of  the  Post  Office  service, 
can  affect  the  rates  of  postage  only  so  far  as  they  affect  the 
cost  of  transportation  of  the  mails,  or,  by  largely  increasing 
traffic,  enable  economies  of  business  on  a  large  scale  to  be 
secured.  The  stage-coach  cheapened  the  cost  of  trans- 
portation, but,  in  England,  had  no  effect  on  the  rates  of 
postage,  because  at  the  time  of  its  introduction  the  charges 
were  of  a  purely  fiscal  character,  and  the  benefit  of  cheaper 
transportation  was  not  passed  on  to  the  users  of  the  Post 
Office.  The  effect  of  the  introduction  of  the  railway  has, 
at  any  rate  as  regards  letter  postage,  not  been  much  greater. 
Sir  Rowland  Hill's  reform,  which  standardized  letter  postage, 
was  based  on  the  ascertained  cost  of  conveyance  of  mails 
by  stage-coach.'     He  found  the  cost  of  such  conveyance  too 

*  Life  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill  and  History  of  Penny  Postage^  vol.  i.,  p.  249. 


314  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

small  to  be  taken  into  account ;  and  the  introduction  of  the 
railway  could  not,  of  course,  improve  such  a  situation. ^ 

The  ordinary  light  letter,  weighing  on  the  average  consider- 
ably less  than  an  ounce,  comprises  the  overwhelming  bulk 
of  Post  Office  traffic,  and  the  heavier  letters  occupy  a  quite 
subsidiary  place.  With  the  growth  of  Post  Office  traffic, 
and  the  consequent  economies  resulting  from  business  on 
a  large  scale,  the  profits  of  the  Post  Office  have  gradually 
increased,  but  not  to  such  an  extent  as  to  admit  of  the 
reduction  of  Sir  Eowland  Hill's  penny  rate  without  destroying 
the  net  revenue.  Any  reduction  has  been  limited  to  the 
heavier  letters. 

The  penny  rate  for  the  ordinary  letter,  though  so  moderate, 
is  considerably  in  excess  of  the  average  cost  even  of  long- 
distance letters.2  Its  maintenance,  therefore,  depends  not 
on  economic,  but  on  general  political  and  financial  con- 
siderations. The  question  is,  what  general  considerations 
shall  be  allowed  to  govern  the  rate?  Shall  it  be  fixed  on 
the  simple  basis  of  cost  and  revenue,  or  shall  it  be  fixed  at 
such  a  level  as  to  yield  a  surplus  revenue  ?  In  other  words, 
is  it  thought  that  the  general  public  advantages  which  would 
result  from  a  reduction  of  postage  to  the  cost  basis  would 
counterbalance  the  disadvantages  which  would  result  from 
the  loss  of  public  revenue?  This  question  will,  of  course, 
be  answered  in  accordance  with  the  varying  circumstances 
in  the  different  countries  and  at  different  times. 3 

^  Sir  Rowland  Hill  was  strongly  of  opinion  that  the  use  of  the  railway 
increased  the  cost  of  conveyance  of  mails  {Life  of  Sir  Roiuland  Hill  and  History 
of  Penny  Postage,  vol.  i.,  pp.  329  and  412).  The  cost  of  conveyance  by  stage-coach 
from  London  to  Edinburgh  was,  according  to  Sir  Rowland  Hill,  about  ^^th  of 
a  penny  per  letter,  and  less  for  the  whole  country  (ibid.,  vol.  i.,  p.  249  ;  Post  Office 
Reform :  Its  Importance  and  Practicability,  pp.  18-19).  The  cost  of  conveyance 
by  railway  at  present  averages  for  the  whole  kingdom  about  -OSd.  per  letter. 

^  An  important  fact  in  this  connection  is  that  the  service  is  adjusted  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  respective  countries.  Thus,  in  England  and  France,  pro- 
vision is  made  for  the  delivery  of  letters  at  every  house  in  the  country,  while  in 
the  United  States  and  Canada  there  is  in  general  no  house-to-house  delivery  in 
rural  districts.  Until  recently  there  was  no  rural  delivery  service  of  any  kind 
in  the  latter  countries.  Letters  could  be  obtained  only  at  the  rural  post  offices. 
And  the  system  now  being  introduced  provides  only  for  delivery  into  roadside 
boxes  at  the  points  on  the  rural  deliverer's  route  nearest  to  the  house  of  the 
addressee.  Such  adjustments,  of  course,  materially  affect  the  cost  and  profit  of 
the  service. 

3  E.g.  the  war  increases  in  the  United  Kingdom  and  in  other  countries.  The 
point  is  further  considered  in  the  Appendix  "Post  Office  Revenue,"  infra,  p.  358  ff . 


CONCLUSION  315 

An  important  consideration  in  relation  to  any  proposal 
for  reduction  or  increase  of  the  letter  rate,  or,  indeed,  of  any 
rate  of  postage,  is,  of  course,  the  probable  effect  on  the  volume 
of  traffic.  Sir  Kowland  Hill,  when  he  put  forward  his  plan, 
laid  stress  on  the  increase  in  the  number  of  letters  which 
he  anticipated  would  follow  the  adoption  of  his  proposal. 
Since  that  time  it  has  become  almost  an  axiom  that  a  reduc- 
tion of  rate  will  naturally  and  inevitably  be  followed  by  an 
increase  of  the  traffic,  more  or  less  considerable,  according  as 
the  reduction  is  large  or  small.  Indeed,  some  writers  have 
thought  that  the  new  postal  system  was  based  on  a  law 
of  fixed  relative  proportions  between  a  reduction  of  rate  and 
the  corresponding  result  on  traffic.  In  point  of  fact.  Sir 
Kowland  Hill's  estimates  were  based  only  partially  on  the 
probable  effect  of  the  reduction  in  stimulating  traffic, 
and  rather  on  the  anticipation  that,  with  a  rate  reasonably 
low,  all  that  vast  letter  traffic  which  it  was  well  known 
was  being  unlawfully  dealt  with  outside  the  Post  Office 
would  be  attracted  to  the  lawful  service.  It  is  probable 
that  a  point  of  approximate  satiety  can  be  reached  in  the  re- 
duction of  postage  rates  no  less  than  in  the  reduction  of  the 
price  of  other  commodities.  A  reduction  would  then  result 
in  only  slightly  increased  consumption  of  the  commodity — 
that  is,  in  the  case  of  letters,  increase  of  the  number  posted. 
Per  contra,  a  moderate  increase  of  rate  would  result  in  a 
comparatively  small  reduction  of  the  number  of  letters.^  But 
moderate  variations  of  postage  on  ordinary  letters  are  difficult 
to  make,  since  popular  charges,  such  as  a  penny  or  halfpenny, 
while  they  offer  obvious  advantages  from  many  points  of 
view,  are  not  susceptible  of  slight  modifications. 

The  variation  of  rate  according  to  the  weight  of  the  packet 
is  a  point  which  has  received  insufficient  attention.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  cost  to  the  Post  Office  of  performing 
the  service  it  affords  in  respect  of  packets  of  any  kind 
entrusted  to  it  increases  with  the  increase  of  the  weight  and 
size.  But  it  does  not  increase  proportionately.  A  letter 
of  8  ounces  does  not  cost  twice  as  much  to  collect,  transmit, 
and   deliver  as    a    letter    of    4    ounces.     The   operations    of 

*  Graphically,  the  variation  of  the  number  of  letters  witli  changes  in  the  rate 
of  postage  would  be  represented  by  an  asymptotic  curve. 


316  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

stamping,  sorting,  and  making  up  for  despatch  occupy  more 
time  and  cause  more  inconvenience  in  the  case  of  the  larger 
packet,  but  the  difference  is  slight  when  compared  with  the 
difference  in  size  and  weight.  Nor  does  the  cost  of  con- 
veyance vary  directly  with  the  weight.  In  any  system  of 
rates,  therefore,  which  are  accurately  adjusted  to  the  cost 
of  the  service,  the  rate  of  charge  must  increase  considerably 
less  rapidly  than  the  increase  in  weight,  that  is  to  say,  the 
rate  would  be  degressive.  Of  modern  postage  rates  very 
few  are  constructed  on  this  principle,  and  to  that  extent  they 
are  uneconomic.  In  the  case  of  letters,  since  the  weight 
of  the  packet  is  normally  unimportant,  and  simpHcity 
of  charge  very  important,  this  factor  has  been  for  the  most 
part  ignored. I 

The  same  consideration  which  makes  the  uniform  rate 
irrespective  of  distance  economically  just  in  the  case  of 
ordinary  letters,  takes  away  any  ground  on  the  score  of 
cost  of  service  for  a  special  rate  for  local  letters  lower  than 
the  general  uniform  rate.  On  the  other  hand,  the  considera- 
tions which  make  for  monopoly  and  unified  control  in  the 
case  of  a  general  service,  do  not  apply  with  the  same  force 
in  the  case  of  a  service  limited  to  a  small  area.  In  the  latter 
case,  competition  can  much  more  easily  be  set  up ;  and  as 
the  uniform  penny  rate  is  much  higher  than  the  cost  of 
service  even  in  the  case  of  long-distance  letters,  competing 
agencies,  which  can  leave  aside  unprofitable  districts,  such  as 
the  rural  districts,  can  secure  a  profit  on  a  local  service  while 
charging  much  lower  rates.  The  maintenance  of  a  local 
rate  for  letters  side  by  side  with  a  uniform  rate  100  per  cent, 
greater  for  all  distances  outside  the  local  area,  as  in  Canada, 
is  nevertheless  inconsistent  from  the  economic  standpoint. 

The  postcard,  which  may  be  regarded  as  a  development  of 
the  letter  post,  is,  in  effect,  an  admission  that  the  letter  rate 
is  much  higher  than  the  cost  of  service.  The  difference  in 
cost  of  service  in  the  case  respectively  of  a  light  letter  and 

'  It  appeared  in  the  English  letter  rate  of  1885,  but  disappeared  with  the 
changes  of  1897.  It  has  been  reintroduced  into  the  letter  rate  with  the  war 
changes  of  November  1915,  and  the  result  is  an  awkward  scale. 


CONCLUSION  317 

a  postcard  is  negligible.  Indeed,  in  some  respects  light 
letters  are  more  easily  and  more  rapidly  handled  than 
postcards.  From  that  standpoint,  therefore,  there  is  nothing 
to  justify  the  difference  of  100  per  cent,  in  the  rate  of  charge, 
and  the  lower  rate  is  an  arbitrary  concession.  The  logical 
ground  for  its  existence  is  rather  to  be  looked  for  in  the 
familiar  and  generally  accepted  principle  applied  to  the 
determination  of  transportation  rates  by  railway,  by  road, 
or  by  sea,  viz.  charging  **  what  the  traffic  will  bear,"  or  the 
variation  of  the  rates  according  to  the  intrinsic  value  of  the 
goods  transported. I  Many  messages  are  sent  on  postcards 
which  otherwise  would  be  sent  as  closed  letters.  But,  at 
the  same  time,  many  messages  are  sent  on  postcards 
which  otherwise  would  not  be  sent  at  all.  This  has  been 
especially  the  case  since  the  introduction  of  the  picture 
postcard. 

These  remarks  apply  equally  to  the  lower  rate  which  has 
been  conceded  to  circular  letters.  Both  rates  represent  a 
great  concession  relatively  to  the  letter  rate,  and  under  them 
a  large  traffic  has  grown  up.^  They  closely  approximate 
to  the  actual  cost  of  service,  and  probably  yield  a  small  profit. 
They  are  of  great  importance  in  the  general  scheme  of  rates, 
because  they  provide  a  cheap  means  for  the  transmission  of 
a  very  large  proportion  of  ordinary  personal  and  commercial 
messages,  and  thus  indirectly  strengthen  the  position  of  the 
profitable  penny  rate  for  ordinary  letters. 

The  picture  postcard  has  strengthened  the  position  of  the 
letter  rate  in  another  way,  viz.  by  raising  the  cost  of 
sending  a  postcard,  so  that  in  many  cases  it  is  now  greater 
than    that  of    a  letter.     A    common    charge    for  a  picture 

'  This  point  is  dealt  with  more  fully  in  connection  with  the  parcel  rate. 

The  whole  question  of  subsidiary  rates  is  dismissed  by  Bastable  with  the 
following : — 

"  One  of  the  principal  distinctions  now  turns  on  the  character  of  the  articles 
transmitted.  Circulars  and  postcards  would  not  bear  the  same  charge  as 
ordinary  letters.  The  transmission  of  newspapers  gives  a  yet  smaller  fund  of 
utility  on  which  to  levy  a  tax,  and  is  affected  by  the  competition  of  carrying 
agencies.  The  result  is  seen  in  the  lower  halfpenny  rate." — C.  F.  Bastable, 
Public  Finance,  London,  1903,  p.  208. 

»  In  England  two-fifths  of  the  total  number  of  postal  packets  pass  at  a 
halfpenny. 


318  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

postcard  is  a  penny;  the  cost  of  sending  a  communication 
on  such  a  card  by  post  is  then  three-halfpence,  whereas 
the  cost  of  a  letter  is  only  a  penny  plus  the  very  slight  cost 
of  the  paper  and  envelope. 

The  newspaper  rate  involves  some  new  considerations. 
The  original  aim  of  the  posts  was  the  distribution  of  a 
certain  form  of  intelligence.  They  had  by  the  seventeenth 
century  developed  into  an  instrument  whose  main  function 
was  the  distribution  of  letters.  The  first  postal  traffic  in 
packets  which  were  not  letters  was  that  in  newspapers. 
The  early  newspapers  were,  however,  in  fact  as  well  as  in 
some  cases  in  name  also,  merely  news  **  letters,"  and  it 
would  have  been  surprising,  therefore,  had  the  posts  not 
been  made  use  of  for  their  distribution.  For  newspapers, 
however,  the  charges  have  from  the  first  been  of  a  funda- 
mentally different  character  from  those  for  letters,  and  the 
traffic  in  newspapers,  so  far  from  being  a  source  of  profit, 
has  in  general  resulted  in  heavy  loss.  There  are  certain 
general  considerations  which  render  the  application  of  the 
rates  of  postage  charged  on  letters  inappropriate.  The 
bulk  and  weight  of  a  single  newspaper  is  usually  much 
greater  than  the  bulk  of  a  single  letter ;  and  if  the  newspaper 
were  charged  at  the  same  rate  and  on  the  same  basis  as 
the  letter,  viz.  by  weight,  it  must  in  general  be  charged 
several  times  the  rate  for  an  ordinary  letter.  Such  a  charge 
would  be  unjust,  because,  as  already  pointed  out,  the  cost 
of  performing  the  services  of  transportation  and  delivery 
does  not  increase  in  direct  proportion,  or  anything  approach- 
ing direct  proportion,  to  the  increase  of  weight.  If  a  news- 
paper is  regarded  as  a  very  heavy  letter,  the  importance  of 
the  factor  of  weight  is  at  once  perceived.  Weight  charges 
levied  on  newspapers  should  at  least  be  on  a  degressive  scale. 
But  any  system  of  charge  by  weight  proportioned  to  letter 
postage  must  lead  to  a  higher  charge  than  that  for  a  single 
letter.  How  much  higher  is  of  little  consequence,  because 
even  the  rate  for  single  letters  would  be  almost  prohibitive 
for  ordinary  newspapers.  The  papers  would  either  be  ex- 
cluded from  the  mails  and  despatched  by  private  agencies, 
where  such  agencies  exist,  or,  in  countries  where  the  Post 


CONCLUSION  319 

Office  holds  the  monopoly  of  the  carriage  of  newspapers,  the 
traffic  would  be  greatly  restricted. 

A  lower  rate  for  newspapers  is  also  justified  on  the 
principle  of  charging  "what  the  traffic  will  bear."  But  the 
chief  reason  is  that  it  has  usually  been  considered  desirable 
to  encourage  the  distribution  of  newspapers  for  the  benefit 
of  the  public ;  and  in  its  origin,  the  special  rate  for  newspapers 
seems  to  rest  rather  on  the  two  general  considerations  of 
the  expediency  of  providing  for  the  easy  distribution  of 
intelligence,  and  the  impossibility  of  charging  newspapers 
with  the  same  rate  as  letters. 

Merchants'  and  manufacturers'  samples  are  not,  of  course, 
strictly  speaking,  of  the  nature  of  correspondence,  and  their 
conveyance  by  post  represents  in  some  aspects  an  expansion 
of  function.  The  main  function  of  the  Post  Office  is  the 
distribution  of  letters,  or,  as  it  may  be  expressed  generally, 
the  distribution  of  any  species  of  communication  between 
persons,  reduced  to  material  form,  whether  as  manuscript 
letters,  postcards  or  circular  letters,  printed  or  written,  or 
even  in  the  form  of  newspapers.  For  samples  of  merchandise 
some  relationship  to  ordinary  communications  may  perhaps 
be  claimed.  They  are  themselves  often  the  necessary  com- 
plement of  letters  of  business  and  are  forwarded  in  order  to 
convey  a  precise  notion  of  the  commodities  with  which  the 
business  is  concerned,  a  purpose  served  much  more  effec- 
tively by  the  small  sample  than  by  the  descriptive  letter, 
which  would  be  the  only  alternative.  So  far,  then,  as  the 
Post  Office  is  intended  to  assist  the  transmission  of  informa- 
tion of  whatever  sort,  the  carriage  of  merchants'  samples 
is  perhaps  a  legitimate  part  of  its  function,  especially  as  the 
encouragement  of  trade  is  no  small  part  of  its  main  function. 
The  transmission  of  small  packets  not  inconvenient  to  handle 
and  transport,  although  essentially  different  in  make-up 
from  letters,  was  therefore  a  natural  development  when 
advantage  to  commerce  would  result. 

The  impracticability  of  charging  the  ordinary  letter  rate, 
since  such  a  charge  would  have  been  prohibitory,  which 
has  influenced  the  newspaper  rate,  is  equally  applicable  to 
samples.     The  case  for  a  lower  rate  was   strengthened   by 


320  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

the  consideration  that  commerce  would  benefit,  and  the 
general  considerations  of  the  justice  of  a  lower  weight-rate 
for  moderately  heavy  packets  and  for  packets  of  less  intrinsic 
value,  applied  to  sample  packets,  no  less  than  to  newspapers, 
although  this  point  of  view  was  not  perhaps  consciously 
adopted.  Based  on  these  considerations,  a  special  rate  was 
given  to  samples,  fixed  more  or  less  arbitrarily,  and  without 
examination  into  the  question  of  what  rate  would  be  the 
lowest  profitable  rate  for  the  business. 

The  basis  of  the  book  rate  is  only  to  a  slight  degree 
economic,  that  is  to  say,  related  to  the  cost  of  providing  the 
service.  The  justification  for  a  low  rate  rests  for  the  most 
part  on  the  same  considerations  as  the  privileged  rate  for 
newspapers :  the  desirability  of  assisting  the  education  of  the 
people  and  the  utility  of  books  for  the  purpose,  the  com- 
paratively low  intrinsic  value,  and  the  impossibihty  of  charg- 
ing the  scale  of  rates  applied  to  letters — even  less  possible 
in  the  case  of  books  than  in  the  case  of  newspapers. 

The  exceptionally  low  rate  for  printed  matter  for  the 
blind  has  been  given  as  a  measure  of  philanthropy.  By  its 
means,  although  at  some  loss  to  postal  revenue,  the  effect 
of  the  disadvantage  of  bulk  and  weight  in  such  printed 
matter,  which  results  from  the  affliction,  is  in  a  large  degree 
removed.' 

The  question  of  the  rate  to  be  applied  to  parcels  is  one 

^  The  concession  of  specially  low  rates  for  these  classes  of  packets  has  given 
rise  to  a  noteworthy  general  line  of  division  between  postal  packets.  All  packets 
passing  at  privileged  rates  must  obviously  be  subject  to  examination  and  check 
by  the  Post  Office  in  order  to  ensure  that  the  privilege  is  not  abused,  a  necessity 
which  leads  immediately  to  the  principle  of  the  "open"  post,  as  contrasted 
with  the  "  closed  "  post,  the  ordinary  sealed  letter  packet.  The  difference  in 
charge  is  not,  however,  based  on  the  consideration  that  the  packets  are  open 
to  inspection.  The  effect  is  in  the  reverse  direction.  The  view  of  practical 
ofl&cers  is  that,  other  things  being  equal,  the  treatment  of  a  packet  sent  by  the 
Open  Post  is  more  expensive  to  the  Post  Office  than  its  treatment  if  sent  by 
Letter  Post. 

The  requirement  is  imposed  in  order  that  compliance  with  other  conditions 
may  be  ensured.  In  none  of  the  five  countries  are  ordinary  letters  allowed  to 
pass  at  postcard  rate  if  merely  enclosed  in  open  covers.  But  a  printed  circular 
letter,  if  sent  in  a  sealed  cover,  would  lose  its  claim  to  the  privileged  rate. 


CONCLUSION  321 

of  considerable  difficulty.  While  considerations  of  public 
utility  would  probably  make  it  undesirable  for  the  State  to 
derive  a  profit  from  the  business,  they  would  hardly  extend 
to  the  point  of  conducting  a  large  transportation  business  at 
a  loss,  and  the  results  in  England  and  Germany  show  how 
important  and  difficult  is  the  problem  of  fixing  remunerative 
rates.  The  rates  for  newspapers,  samples,  ordinary  printed 
matter,  etc.,  have  been  accorded  not  solely  with  reference  to 
the  cost  of  the  service,  but  on  grounds  more  or  less  political 
and  social  as  regards  the  fact  of  granting  a  privileged  rate, 
and  more  or  less  empirical  as  regards  the  fixing  of  the  actual 
amount  of  the  charge.  For  the  most  part  this  method  has 
answered  sufficiently  well,  the  reason  being  that  the  cost 
per  packet  is  comparatively  small,  and  the  privileged  traffic 
has  not  generally  assumed  large  proportions  relative  to  the 
letter  traffic.  These  empirical  methods  cannot,  however,  be 
applied  in  the  case  of  parcels.  The  expense  of  the  service 
performed  by  the  Post  Office  is  not,  as  with  a  letter,  actually 
small,  and  confined  to  that  of  collection  at  one  end  and 
delivery  at  the  other  end  of  the  journey,  with  a  negligible 
cost  (per  packet)  for  transmission  between  the  points  of 
origin  and  destination.  Cost  of  transportation  itself  becomes 
an  appreciable  item  in  respect  of  every  parcel.  For  this 
transportation  the  Post  Office  is  in  the  main  dependent  on 
the  railways,  and  in  the  determination  of  its  cost  the 
principles  determining  ordinary  railway  rates  must  necessarily 
apply. 

Those  principles  are  complex  and  to  a  large  degree  inde- 
terminate. On  the  problem  of  railway  and  other  transport 
rates  many  volumes  have  been  written,  and  many  more 
will  yet  be  written  before  a  solution  is  arrived  at.^     Bail  ways, 

*  "Fixing  a  railway  rate  is,  in  one  word,  an  art — not  a  science,  and  it  is 
an  art  which,  in  Bagehot's  phrase,  must  be  exercised  *  in  a  sort  of  twilight, 
...  in  an  atmosphere  of  probabilities  and  of  doubt,  where  nothing  is  very 
clear,  where  there  are  some  chances  for  many  events,  where  there  is  much 
to  be  said  for  several  courses,  where,  nevertheless,  one  course  must  be  deter- 
minedly chosen  and  fixedly  adhered  to,'  " — W.  M.  Acworth,  Elements  ef 
Railway  Economics,  Oxford,  1905,  p.  73. 

"The  problem  of  railway  rates  has  not,  like  that  of  postal  charges,  passed 
beyond  the  domain  of  current  discussion.  This  is  in  part  due  to  the  fact  that 
railways  are  universally  regarded  as  a  source  of  profit,  to  companies  when 
privately  owned,  to  the  State  when  public  property ;  but  it  is  in  larger  measure 

22 


322  HATES  0¥  POSTAGE 

like  the  Post  Office,  are  unable  to  allocate  the  actual  working 
costs  with  any  degree  of  precision  between  the  various  kinds 
of  service  they  perform.  Like  the  Post  Office,  they  have 
one  general  set  of  expenses,  although  they  have  diverse  sources 
of  revenue.^  Even  if  the  cost  of  service  could  in  each  case 
be  definitely  ascertained,  its  adoption  as  the  sole  basis  of 
the  rates  would  prove  unsatisfactory. ^  For  the  most  part 
the  principles  on  which  the  rates  are  actually  fixed  resolve 
themselves  into  a  consideration  of  "  what  the  traffic  will 
bear,"  that  is  to  say,  the  test  by  actual  observation  and 
computation,  strengthened,  if  need  be,  by  actual  experiment, 
of  the  rates  which  will  yield  the  maximum  advantage  to 
the  railway  company. 

The  advantage  to  the  railway  conducted  under  private 
management  may  be  defined  to  be  the  excess  of  receipts 
from  the  traffic  over  the  out-of-pocket  expenses  actually 
incurred  in  handling  the  traffic.  To  obtain  this  maximum 
it  has  been  found  necessary  to  vary  the  charge  according 
to  the  nature  of  the  goods.  Elaborate,  detailed  classifi- 
cations of  goods  have  been  arranged  with  distinct  scales 
of  rates  for  each  class,  devised  on  the  basis  of  charging  each 

due  to  the  fact  that  the  social  significance  of  railways  is  not  yet  clearly  under- 
stood. The  problem  of  railway  rates  is  a  problem  by  itself,  and  stands  as  one 
of  the  most  important  of  the  unsettled  problems  of  the  day." — H.  C.  Adams, 
Scietwe  of  Finance,  New  York,  1909,  p.  280. 

*  "  The  cost  of  the  service  of  transport  for  any  given  commodity  cannot,  under 
the  varying  conditions  of  railway  operation,  be  even  approximately  calculated. 
The  first  insuperable  difficulty  is  the  division  of  the  expenditure  for  any  given 
work.  Though  railway  economists  have  endeavoured,  by  means  various  and 
ingenious,  to  allocate  the  different  items  of  railway  expenditure,  they  have 
been  unable  to  determine  such  a  relatively  simple  matter  as  the  division  between 
passenger  and  goods  traffic,  and  though  estimates  have  been  formulated,  many 
of  the  charges  have  been  allocated  to  one  head  or  another  by  arbitrary  decision, 
and  not  as  a  result  of  positive  knowledge." — Eaihuay  Neivs,  London,  6th 
September  1913,  p.  396. 

^  *'  Though  all  the  rates  must  be  so  fixed  as  to  pay  all  the  expenses  both  of 
c  o  istruction  and  working,  separate  rates  cannot  be  fixed  according  to  cost 
of  individual  service  or  even  according  to  the  average  cost  of  services  to  traffic 
i  n  the  same  group.  For  in  the  first  place  the  cost  of  the  service  cannot  be 
ascertained.  And  secondly,  if  it  could  be  ascertained,  it  would  be  of  no  use 
as  a  standard.  To  charge  the  average  cost  would  be  to  drive  away  a  large 
porcion  of  the  traffic  and  so  increase  almost  proportionately  the  average  cost 
of  the  remainder.  This  increase  would  then  drive  away  a  fresh  portion,  and 
so  once  more  increase  proportionately  the  cost  to  that  still  remaining.  And  so 
on."— W.  M.  Ac  worth,  "The  Theory  of  Railway  Rates,"  Economic  Journal, 
London,  1897,  p.  B24. 


CONCLUSION  323 

kind  of  goods  with  the  rate  likely  to  yield  to  the  railway 
the  maximum  of  advantage  as  defined  above. ^  Although 
somewhat  crude  and  a  little  empirical,  certainly  largely 
arbitrary,  this  method  has  been  almost  universally  adopted 
for  the  determination  of  railway  charges.^ 

A  characteristic  feature  of  such  charges  is  that  account 
is  invariably  taken  of  the  distance  over  which  the  goods  are 
transported.  In  contrast  with  this,  the  principle  of  uniformity 
of  rate  irrespective  of  distance  has  been  universally  adopted 
in  regard  to  all  postal  packets  other  than  parcels,  and  to  some 
extent  for  parcels.  The  application  of  the  principle  to  parcels 
rests,  however,  on  other  grounds  than  its  application  to  letters. 
Sir  Rowland  Hill  himself  never  contemplated  that  the  prin- 
ciple was  necessarily  applicable  to  all  matter  which  might  be 
sent  by  post. 3  The  circumstances  under  which  he  made  his 
discovery,  and  the  facts  on  which  he  relied,  make  it  plain  that, 
in  the  absence  of  other  overpowering  considerations,  the 
grounds  advanced  in  the  case  of  light  letters  will  not  justify 
uniformity  of  rate  irrespective   of    distance   for    packets    of 

'  '•  The  process  is  in  practice  worked  out  as  follows.  First  comes  classifi- 
cation. The  whole  of  the  commodities  known  to  commerce  are  entered  on 
a  list  divided  into  classes,  eight  in  number  here,  six  in  France,  and  about  ten  in 
number  in  the  United  States.  To  each  class  belongs  a  normal  scale  of  rates, 
ranging,  let  us  say,  from  |d.  per  mile  in  the  lowest  to  4d.  per  mile  in  the 
highest.  The  classification  undoubtedly  takes  account  of  greater  or  less  cost 
of  carriage  to  the  companies,  arising  out  of  the  differences  of  packing,  liability 
to  theft  or  damage,  proportion  of  space  occupied  to  weight,  etc.  But  it  is 
safe  to  say  that  its  main  principle  is,  the  more  valuable  the  commodity,  the 
higher  the  rate  it  can  afford  to  pay." — Ibid.,  p.  325. 

'  **  Historically  this  theory  has  been  recognized  and  approved  by  English 
legislation  from  the  time  when  Adam  Smith  applauded  the  equity  of  statutory 
turnpike  tolls  at  the  rate  of  one  shilling  for  a  light  carriage  and  eightpence 
for  a  heavy  dray,  through  the  whole  long  series  of  Canal  Acts  and  Railway  Acts, 
down  to  the  elaborately  careful  revision  of  the  railway  companies'  charging 
powers  in  the  series  of  Provisional  Order  Confirmation  Acts  dated  1891  and  1892. 
The  opinion  of  modern  economists  all  over  the  world  as  to  the  justice  of  the 
underlying  principle  may  be  conveniently  summarized  in  a  sentence  borrowed 
from  the  first  annual  report  of  the  American  Interstate  Commerce  Commission : 
*  With  this  method  of  arranging  tariffs  little  fault  is  found,  and  perhaps  none 
at  all  by  persons  who  consider  the  subject  from  the  standpoint  of  public 
interest.'  " — Ibid.,  p.  317. 

3  "  One  great  element  of  the  reform  introduced  by  you  in  the  postage  was,  that 
there  should  be  one  uniform  rate  throughout? — Yes,  it  was  proposed  with  a 
view  to  simplification,  but  the  principle  has  been  carried  to  an  extent  that 
I  did  not  contemplate,  and  did  not  recommend." — Evidence  of  Sir  Rowland 
Hill,  Report  of  Select  Committee  on  Newsjja^per  Stamjjs,  1861,  Question  No.  1945. 


324  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

considerable  weight,  which  necessarily  involve  appreciable 
cost  for  transportation.  From  the  financial  point  of  view, 
the  uniform  rate  is,  moreover,  inapplicable  to  any  class  of 
traffic  not  secured  to  the  Post  Office  by  monopoly,  since 
private  undertakings  will  always  step  in  and  take  away  the 
profitable  sections. 

For  heavy  parcels  a  uniform  rate  cannot  be  justified.  There 
are,  however,  certain  considerations  not  purely  economic 
which  may  be  held  to  justify  a  uniform  rate  for  small  parcels, 
especially  if  it  be  held  that  the  State  may  conduct  such  a 
business  for  the  advantage  of  the  public,  and  abandon  to 
some  extent  ordinary  commercial  balancing  of  cost  and  revenue. 

SimpHcity,  afforded  in  a  high  degree  by  the  uniform  rate, 
facilitates  the  administration  and  practical  conduct  of  Post 
Office  business,  and  is,  therefore,  desirable,  even  if  a  little 
unjust.  Complicated  rates  are  an  unfailing  source  of  irrita- 
tion to  the  public  as  well  as  a  source  of  embarrassment  to 
the  staff,  and  there  is  not  much  doubt  that  one  feature  of 
the  parcel  post  which  commends  it  to  the  public  favour  is 
the  simplicity  of  its  rates. ^  There  is,  moreover,  to  be  con- 
sidered the  view  that  it  is  no  part  of  the  duty  of  the  Post 
Office  to  provide  services  in  towns  or  districts  for  which 
private  industry  gives  adequate  services,  but  rather  to  cover 
the  whole  country,  so  that  the  public  may  always  have  ready 
to  hand  a  means  of  forwarding  small  packages  of  goods  to 
friends  or  relatives,  or  traders  to  customers,  in  other  parts 
of  the  country.  Such  a  service  has  many  features  which 
distinguish  it  from  business  undertakings  of  the  ordinary  type. 
In  this  way  uniform  rates  may  prove  justified;  since  if  in 
regard  to  any  local  service,  or  the  service  between  any  two 
points,  the  uniform  rate,  which  must  necessarily  in  certain 
cases  yield  considerable  profit,  is  found  burdensome,  it  is  in 
all  such  cases  open  to  private  industry  to  provide  the  remedy. 
In  the  case  of  light  parcels  the  cost  of  the  services  of  collec- 

*  In  the  same  way  that  the  soap-makers  of  Port  Sunlight  secured  a  large 
sale  by  the  simple  expedient  of  refraining  from  varying  the  price  of  their 
tablets  of  soap  with  the  variations  in  the  cost  of  raw  materials,  making  the 
adjustment  in  the  weight  of  the  tablets  instead  of  in  the  price  ;  and  for  the 
same  reason  that  many  people  prefer  restaurants  widely  known  and  with 
numerous  branches,  not  always  because  the  charges  are  less,  but  because  it  is 
well  known  what  the  charges  and  what  the  service  obtained  will  be. 


CONCLUSION  325 

tion  and  delivery  is  much  greater  than  that  of  conveyance ; 
and  the  variation  of  the  total  cost  with  distance  of  trans- 
mission is  small  proportionately.  The  uniform  rate  can 
therefore  be  fixed  near  the  level  of  the  cost.  But  even  for 
such  parcels  it  is  economically  unsound.  It  cannot  be  fixed 
at  a  really  low  level,  because  it  is  to  be  applicable  to  a 
parcel  sent  across  the  whole  territory  of  a  postal  adminis- 
tration; and  with  such  a  parcel,  even  if  weighing  only 
1  pound,  the  cost  of  transportation  is  an  appreciable  item. 

The  uniform  rate  for  parcels  is  an  expedient  for  smooth 
working  rather  than  a  scientific  rate,  and  against  the 
acceptance  of  uniformity  of  rate  as  a  principle  must  be 
placed  the  fact  that  railway  companies  have  not  adopted  it. 
The  actual  results  of  the  uniform  rate  have  not  been  alto- 
gether satisfactory.  The  small  use  of  the  post  for  the 
transmission  of  the  heavier  parcels  appears  to  indicate  that 
the  rate  for  such  parcels  is,  in  general,  too  high.^  For  local 
traffic  in  small  towns,  where  cost  of  conveyance  is  negli- 
gible, it  is  almost  prohibitive,^  and  is  much  higher  than  the 
rates  charged  by  competing  agencies. 

The  considerations  in  favour  of  a  degressive  rate  apply 
with  greater  force  to  parcels  of  moderate  weight  than  to  the 
comparatively  light  packets  which  pass  at  the  letter  rate, 
and  this  feature  should  receive  fuller  recognition  in  the 
determination  of  parcel  rates  than  has  hitherto  been 
the  case. 

To  sum  up  :  there  are  important  differences  between  the 
letter  and  parcel  traffic  :  (1)  the  letter  traffic  is  a  monopoly 
in  which  the  more  profitable  business  belongs  to  the  State 
as  well  as  the  unprofitable,  while  the  parcel  business  is  not 
a  monopoly,  and  any  traffic  which  proves  profitable  may  at 
once  attract  private  competition  ;  (2)  in  the  letter  traffic 
the  cost  of  transmission  for  a  given  distance  is  negligible, 
and  in  the  parcel  traffic  it  is  important;   (3)  the  social  argu- 

*  In  the  United  Kingdom  less  tlian  50  per  cent,  exceed  2  pounds  in  weight, 
and  not  more  than  1  per  cent,  exceed  10  pounds.  The  proportion  for  short- 
distance  parcels  is  much  less,  and  the  proportion  for  foreign  parcels  is  very 
much  greater,  over  15  per  cent,  being  above  10  pounds  in  weight. 

=  Even  in  the  London  postal  area,  which  is  of  considerable  extent,  the  local 
traffic  is  quite  small,  amounting  to  some  four  or  five  million  parcels  only  per 
annum  in  a  total  traffic  of  some  130  millions. 


326  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

ments  which  make  it  desirable  for  the  State  to  secure  as 
wide  as  possible  a  diffusion  of  letters  containing  information, 
of  newspapers,  books,  and  samples,  do  not  apply  in  the 
same  way,  or  to  the  same  degree,  to  the  traffic  in  parcels 
containing  goods. 

In  essentials  the  case  of  international  rates  differs  little 
from  that  of  inland  rates.  The  work  in  connection  with  a 
letter  falls  into  three  main  divisions  :  (1)  at  the  place  of 
posting;  (2)  transmission  from  place  of  posting  to  place  of 
delivery  ;  and  (3)  at  the  place  of  delivery.  In  the  case 
of  inland  letters,  the  first  and  third  factors  preponderate  to 
such  a  degree  that  their  cost  alone  need  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration in  fixing  the  rate.  The  factor  of  transmission 
can  be  ignored.  In  the  case  of  letters  from  one  country  to 
another,  the  services  at  the  offices  of  posting  and  delivery 
are  performed  under  different,  instead  of  under  the  same, 
administrations,  but  for  all  practical  purposes  are  otherwise 
unaffected.  The  only  factor  seriously  affected  is  that  of 
transportation. 

The  variation  in  the  cost  for  transportation  ^  depends 
largely  on  distance,  and  in  that  respect  various  countries 
are  affected  in  varying  degrees,  not  only  as  regards  the 
actual  distances  over  which  their  letters  for  or  from  places 
abroad  are  sent,  but  in  the  way  in  which  those  distances 
compare  with  the  distances  over  which  letters  in  the  inland 
service  are  conveyed ;  and  the  question  therefore  wears  a 
different  aspect  in  the  different  countries.  Thus  a  very  large 
proportion  of  letters  in  the  British  service  are  forwarded 
over  greater  distances  than  letters  in  the  inland  service. 
The  same  thing  is  probably  true  of  France  and  Germany. 
Distances  in  the  inland  services  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada  are,  however,  comparable  with  the  distances  in  the 
international  services  in  Europe,  and  in  many  cases  with 
distances  in  their  own  international  services.  If,  therefore, 
mere  distance  of  transmission  were  the  only  consideration, 
there  would  obviously  be  little  to   urge  against  the  applica- 

^  I.e.  the  actual  cost  incurred  by  a  Government  in  providing  packet  services, 
not  the  amounts  paid  to  intermediate  countries  as  "transit  rates"  imder  the 
International  Convention, 


CONCLUSION 


327 


tion  of  the  ordinary  penny  letter  rate  for  inland  transmission, 
at  least  to  the  traffic  of  the  whole  of  Europe,  just  as  it  has 
been  applied  to  the  trafhc  of  the  whole  of  the  United  States 
and  Canada.' 

But  it  is  doubtful  whether  inland  distances  are  really 
comparable  with  international  distances.  The  cost  of  main- 
taining lines  of  communication  between  distant  countries 
is  often  altogether  out  of  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  mails 
conveyed;  and  the  sums  paid,  although  ostensibly  payments 
for  the  conveyance  of  mails,  are  often  really  subsidies,  paid 
sometimes  in  order  to  assist  the  shipping  or  other  industry, 
sometimes  for  political  purposes.^  They  cannot,  therefore, 
be  used  as  a  basis  for  calculating  the  amount  of  postage  which 
should  be  charged  on  private  letters. 

This  was  particularly  the  case  in  earlier  times.3  With 
the  expansion  of  commerce  and  the  establishment  for  com- 


'  Total  area  of  Europe 3,800,000  square  miles. 

United  States  (with  Alaska)   ..  3,600,000 

Canada 3,700,000 

Of  the  total  area  of  Europe,  Russia  accounts  for  some  2,100,000  square  miles. 
-  E.g.  the  transportation  of  Indian  mails  through  France  and  Italy.  For 
this  service  a  special  train  in  each  direction  between  Calais  and  Brindisi  is  pro- 
vided by  the  French  and  Italian  Governments,  and  the  payment  made  by  the 
British  Government  in  respect  of  the  service  is  much  in  excess  of  the  ordinary 
transit  rates  fixed  by  the  Postal  Union  Convention. 

3  The  following  particulars  relate  to  the  British  Packet  Service  in  1860 : — 


Packets. 

Contract 
Payments. 

other 
Payments. 

Sea  Postage. 

Profit  or 
Loss. 

Dover  and  Calais       . .  ) 
Dover  and  Ostend     . .  [ 

18,600 

£ 
4,100 

£ 
79,000 

£ 
+  56,300 

Peninsular 

6,000 

800 

4,000 

-     1,800 

North  American 

189,500 

400 

112,000 

-  77,900 

West  Indian  .. 
Pacific 

293,500 

8,900 

103,600 

-198,800 

Brazilian         . .         . .  ' 

West  Coast  of  Africa 

30,000 

— 

4,500 

-   25,500 

Cape  of  Good  Hope  . . 

38,000 

— 

9,300 

-   28,700 

Australian 

90,200 

4,300 

30,300 

-  64,200 

East  Indian    . . 

103,000 

17,300 

111,000 

-  69,300 

On   the   whole  service) 

827,800 

35,800 

453,700 

-409,900 

the  figures  were          i 

— Annual  Report  of  tJie  Postinaster-Gen^ralj  1860,  Appx,  H,  pp.  34-7, 


328  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

mercial  purposes  of  regular  lines  of  steamers  between  the 
principal  countries  of  the  world,  the  task  of  the  Post  Office 
has  been  much  simplified,  and,  notwithstanding  the  growth 
of  mails,  the  cost  actually  reduced.^  It  is,  however,  still 
heavy,  and  in  some  cases  the  payments  include  an  element 
of  subsidy.  The  cost  of  transmission  by  sea  of  a  foreign 
letter  in  the  British  service  is  on  the  average  Jd.  Foreign 
rates  are  not,  however,  fixed  on  a  simple  cost  basis.  The 
reduction  to  a  penny  of  the  letter  rate  between  Great  Britain 
and  all  parts  of  the  British  Empire ;  between  Great 
Britain,  Egypt,  and  the  United  States ;  and  between  the 
United  States  and  Germany  and  France,  has  been  made 
from  considerations  of  general  advantage,  political  or  other- 
wise, rather  than  from  considerations  of  immediate  profit 
or  loss  on  the  postal  service. 

The  international  parcel  post  has  always  been  regarded 
as  primarily  commercial, ^  and  the  service  has  been  deliberately 
restricted  to  small  parcels  on  the  ground  that  the  conduct 
of  an  ordinary  transportation  undertaking  is  not  a  postal 
function,  and  that  the  admission  of  heavy  parcels  would 
render  impossible  the  maintenance  of  the  postal  principle 
of  uniformity  of  rate.  Parcel  mails  are  in  the  international 
service  frequently  denied  the  privilege  of  rapid  transmission 
accorded  to  letter  mails.3  The  developments  of  the  present 
war  have  emphasized  the  essential  distinction  to  be  drawn 
between  communications  on  the  one  hand,  and  packages 
of  goods  sent  by  parcel  post  on  the  other. 

The  general  basis  of  postal  rates  is  naturally  affected  in 
some  degree  by  the  fact  that  the  Post  Office  is  a  State  under- 
taking,  and    the   propriety  of    Government   control   deserves 

*  In  18G0,  when  the  total  number  of  foreign  letters  was  very  much  less  than 
at  present,  the  cost  of  the  British  foreign  packet  service  was  some  £860,000,  and 
in  1913  the  cost  had  fallen  to  some  £700,000. — Annual  Reports  of  the  Postmaster- 
General,  1860,  pp.  34-7;  1913-14,  p.  51. 

'  Vide  supra,  Chapter  VI. 

3  E.g.,  parcel  mails  are  not  forwarded  by  the  train  between  Calais  and  Brindisi 
run  specially  for  the  Indian  mails.  Parcels  are,  it  is  true,  forwarded  to  America 
by  the  Cunard  packets  which  carry  the  letter  mails,  but  this  arrangement  is  due 
to  special  circumstances.  The  Cunard  line,  being  heavily  subsidized  (with  other 
than  Post  Office  ends  in  view),  is  required  to  carry  all  mails  tendered.  Other- 
wise it  might  be  found  economical  to  send  parcels  by  slower  cargo  boats. 


CONCLUSION  329 

consideration.  Adam  Smith,  with  his  individualistic  leaning, 
was  bound  to  touch  on  the  question  of  a  State  Post  Office. 
He  thought  there  was  no  objection  to  the  conduct  of  the 
Post  Office  by  the  Government,^  and  economists  since  his 
day  have  generally  followed  his  view.^  This  acceptance  of 
State  control  as  theoretically  justifiable  has  probably  been 
induced  by  the  logic  of  facts  rather  than  by  the  recognition 
of  any  peculiar  characteristics  tending  to  that  view  discoverable 
in  the  postal  service  as  an  industrial  organization.3 

The  transmission  and  delivery  of  letters  for  private  in- 
dividuals may  have  some  affinity  to  the  transmission  of  official 
despatches,  but  in  theory  such  affinity  is  slight,  especially 
in  regard  to  the  transmission  and  delivery  of  local  letters. 
Because  the  Government  had  found  it  essential  for  its  own 


'  Wealth  of  Nations,  ed.  1904,  vol.  ii.,  p.  303. 

=  •'  The  business  being  one  which  both  can  and  ought  to  be  conducted  on  fixed 
rules,  is  one  of  the  few  businesses  which  it  is  not  unsuitable  to  a  Government 
to  conduct." — J.  S.  Mill,  Principles  of  Political  Ecoiwmy,  London,  1871,  vol.  ii. 
bk.  V.  chap.  v.  §  2. 

"  It  is  clear  that  the  restriction  put  upon  the  liberty  of  trade  by  forbidding 
private  letter-carrying  establishments  is  a  breach  of  State  duty.  It  is  also  clear 
that  were  that  restriction  abolished,  a  natural  postal  system  would  eventually 
grow  up,  could  it  surpass  in  efficiency  our  existing  one.  And  it  is  further  clear 
that  if  it  could  not  surpass  it,  the  existing  system  might  rightly  continue ;  for 
the  fulfilment  of  postal  functions  by  the  State  is  not  intrinsically  at  variance 
with  the  fulfilment  of  its  essential  function." — Herbert  Spencer,  Social  Statics, 
London,  1910,  p.  120. 

Professor  Cannan  sums  the  matter  up  from  the  point  of  view  of  modem 
opportunism  : — 

'•  Much  too  great  importance  is  commonly  attributed  to  this  part  of  State 
action  :  the  sale  of  commodities.  We  may  be  sure  that  if  the  State  had  not 
happened  to  undertake  the  business  of  carrying  letters,  some  private  organiza- 
tion would  have  been  established  for  the  purpose.  Whether  it  would  have  done 
the  work  better  or  worse  than  the  present  State  Post  Office  does  it,  is  a  question 
which  we  have  no  means  of  answering.  So,  too,  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  State 
in  this  country  had  undertaken  the  provision  of  railways,  we  should  have  had  a 
railway  system  of  some  sort ;  it  might  have  been  a  better  or  it  might  have  been 
a  worse  system  ;  whether  it  would  have  been  better  or  worse  would  have 
depended  on  the  wisdom  of  those  who  had  the  largest  share  in  devising  and 
extending  it,  and  who  these  persons  would  have  been,  and  what  their  wisdom 
would  have  been,  we  have  no  means  of  telling." — Edwin  Cannan,  Elementary 
Political  Economy,  London,  1903,  p.  132. 

3  "Before  the  rise  of  the  economic  schools  that  opposed  industrial  action  on 
the  part  of  the  State,  the  method  of  public  postal  service  was  firmly  established, 
and  was  seen  to  give,  on  the  whole,  sufficiently  satisfactory  results.  It,  therefore, 
escaped  the  hostile  criticism  that  economists  freely  bestowed  on  the  less  efficient 
public  departments."— 0.  F.  Bastable,  Public  Finance,  London,  1903,  p.  208. 


330  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

purposes  to  establish  a  system  of  posts,  it  did  not  necessarily 
follow  that  the  Government  must  assume  also  the  function  of 
conveying  letters  for  private  individuals.  But  the  Post  Office 
is  one  of  those  organizations  in  the  case  of  which  the  normal 
influence  of  economic  forces  tends  to  exclude  competition. 
Its  operations  are  spread  over  large  areas,  and  duplication  of 
services  over  large  areas  would  result  in  waste  of  effort  and 
increase  of  expenses.  Competing  postal  establishments  would 
exhibit  the  same  glaring  economic  waste  as  competing 
arrangements  for  the  supply  of  gas,  water,  or  electricity. 
The  service  thus  almost  certainly  becomes  a  monopoly;  and 
its  nature  makes  the  assumption  of  its  management  by  the 
State  advantageous.  In  times  of  war.  State  monopoly  of 
the  means  of  communication  (postal,  telegraph,  telephone,  and 
wireless)  is  essential.  Even  if  these  services  were  in  private 
hands  at  the  outbreak  of  war,  the  first  action  of  the  Govern- 
ment would  undoubtedly  be  to  assume  control. 

A  further  reason  justifying  the  conduct  of  the  postal  service 
by  the  Government  rather  than  by  private  enterprise  is  that 
it  is  a  necessity  for  the  State  to  provide  a  means  for  the 
regular  transmission  of  intelligence  by  letter  of  script 
throughout  its  territory.  If  the  working  of  the  service  were 
left  to  private  enterprise,  it  would  be  certainly  confined  to  such 
routes  as  were  found  profitable,  and  those  parts  of  the  country 
in  which  profitable  routes  could  not  be  established  would  be 
left  unserved.  The  State  alone  can  secure  the  establishment 
of  a  complete  service,  in  which  regard  must  not  be  confined  to 
considerations  of  mere  profit.^  There  are  also  minor  features 
which  render  State  management  peculiarly  applicable  to  the 
postal  service.  The  actual  operations  are  simple.  As  Adam 
Smith  said  :  "  There  is  no  mystery  in  the  business."  ^     The 

*  "He  was  always  eager  to  improve  the  mail  service  to  remote  towns  ;  and 
would  observe  that  one  good  result  of  State  management  was  the  consideration 
of  out-of-the-way  places.  A  private  management,  he  said,  might  probably  have 
introduced  a  halfpenny  post  in  London,  and  have  left  the  country  worse  served 
than  at  present." — Leslie  Stephen,  Life  of  Henry  Fawcett,  London,  1885,  p.  438. 

2  "  The  Post  Office  is  properly  a  mercantile  project.  The  Government 
advances  the  expense  of  establishing  the  different  offices  and  buying  or  hiring 
the  necessary  horses  or  carriages,  and  is  repaid  with  a  large  profit  by  the  duties 
upon  what  is  carried.  It  is  perhaps  the  only  mercantile  project  which  has  been 
successfully  managed  by,  I  believe,  every  sort  of  Government.  The  capital  to  be 
advanced  is  not  very  considerable.    There  is  no  mystery  in  the  business.    The 


CONCLUSION  331 

work  is  for  the  most  part  of  a  routine  character,  and  calls  for 
no  special  skill  or  knowledge.  That  is  not  to  say  that  in  the 
performance  of  the  actual  duties  there  is  no  room  for  the 
acquirement  of  considerable  manipulative  skill.  It  means  that 
in  principle  the  chief  operations  are  simple,  and  may  be 
reduced  to  routine  processes.  There  is  the  further  important 
consideration  that  the  operations  of  the  Post  Office  are  in- 
timately connected  with  the  daily  life  of  the  people,  and  are 
constantly  subject  to  public  observation  and  criticism. 

Assuming  a  State  parcel  service,  there  is  to  be  considered 
the  question  whether  that  service  should  be  attached  to  the 
letter  post  or  whether  it  would  be  more  economical  to  set  up 
a  separate  service.  It  might  appear  at  first  sight  that  this 
question  has  been  determined  by  the  practice.  But  as  the 
financial  scheme  of  the  letter  post  rests  on  the  fact  that  the 
actual  transportation  of  the  letters  occupies,  as  regards 
expense,  a  quite  subsidiary  place, ^  it  is  difficult  to  discover 
any  special  relation  between  the  letter  post  and  a  business 
which  is  really  part  of  the  general  transport  industry.  It 
may  in  some  instances  be  advantageous  to  utilize  for  parcels 
the  service  provided  for  the  transmission  and  delivery  of 
letters.  An  organization  reaching  to  all  parts  of  the  country 
is  ready  to  hand,  and  one  which,  in  rural  districts  especially, 
is  often  not  employed  to  its  full  capacity.  It  may  therefore 
in  some  cases  manifestly  be  economical  to  give  additional 
work  to  the  service ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  the  provision  of 
a  service  for  parcels  may  in  other  cases  add  unduly  to  the  cost 
of  the  general  service — as,  for  example,  when  it  becomes 
necessary  to  make  special  arrangements  on  account  of  occa- 
sional variations  in  the  numbers  of  parcels. ^ 

In  any  case,  a  postal  service  should  be  limited  to  parcels  of 
moderate  size  and  weight,  because  the  Post  Office,  as  at  pre- 
sent organized,  is  for  the  most  part  adapted  to  the  handling  of 
packets  which  can  be  delivered  by  foot-messengers.     In  rural 


returns  are  not  only  certain  but  immediate." — Wealth  of  Nations,  ed.  1904, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  303. 

*  Vide  supra,  p.  26. 

=  In  the  United  Kingdom  the  expense  incurred  in  providing  specially  for  the 
disposal  of  parcels  in  this  way  often  exceeds  the  total  amount  of  the  postage 
paid  on  the  parcels. 


332  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

districts  this  is  almost  universally  the  rule.^  It  is  frequently 
necessary  in  the  towns  to  separate  entirely  the  parcel  post 
traffic  from  the  ordinary  light  letter  post  traffic  (except  in 
those  parts  of  the  service  v^here  the  parcel  post  traffic  is  very 
restricted),  to  provide  a  separate  staff,  and  to  furnish  different 
equipment.2  In  effect,  two  establishments  are  maintained. 
A  separate  parcel  staff  could,  of  course,  collect  and  deliver 
traffic  of  any  dimensions  or  character.  But  difficulties  would 
arise  in  regard  to  the  transportation  from  town  to  town  of 
heavy  parcels, 3  and  in  rural  districts  their  distribution  could 
not  be  undertaken  without  a  reorganization  of  the  general 
arrangements  of  the  mail  service.  Any  sort  of  regular  house- 
to-house  delivery  would  be  enormously  expensive.  To  a  large 
extent — in  the  United  Kingdom  at  any  rate — such  a  service 
would  be  a  duplication  of  services  already  provided  by  railway 
companies,  and  consequently  economically  wasteful. 

The  transportation  of  parcels  is,  indeed,  in  many  aspects 
a  service  more  appropriate  to  the  railways  than  to  the  Post 
Office.  The  Post  Office,  for  example,  is  handicapped  as  com- 
pared with  the  railways  by  the  fact  that,  while  the  larger 
part  of  its  traffic  in  parcels  must  under  present  conditions 
necessarily  be  conveyed  by  railway  for  some  part  of  the 
journey,   the   actual  points   of   despatch   and   receipt   of  the 

^  In  the  United  Kingdom,  horse-posts  or  cycle-posts  are  in  general  provided 
in  view  of  the  length  of  the  route  to  be  traversed,  rather  than  in  view  of  the 
weight  of  traffic  to  be  carried. 

-  The  need  for  such  a  separation  between  ordinary  letters  and  packets  of 
appreciable  weight  is  felt  even  in  regard  to  the  letter  post  itself.  In  England, 
the  extension  of  the  weight  limit  for  penny  letters,  and  the  reduction  of  the 
rates  for  the  heavier  letters,  has  led  to  serious  practical  difficulties  and  has 
impeded  smooth  and  rapid  v/orking.  In  the  larger  offices  the  letter  post  traffic 
is  dealt  with  in  two  divisions :  (1)  the  lighter,  homogeneous  traffic,  the  light 
letters  and  postcards  ;  and  (2)  the  heavier  packets,  and  packets  of  irregular 
shape  (p.  285).  In  France,  the  extension  of  the  maximum  limit  of  weight  gave 
rise  to  similar  difficulties ;  so  much  so  that  the  question  of  establishing  a  separate 
slower  post  for  such  packets  has  been  seriously  considered.  In  Paris,  at  the 
present  time,  there  is  a  completely  separate  indoor  and  outdoor  staff  for  the 
newspapers  and  packets. 

3  It  is  only  necessary  to  glance  into  a  van  containing  railway  parcels  in  order 
to  realize  how  impossible  it  would  be  to  apply  to  such  packages  the  usual  postal 
method  of  enclosure  in  sacks  ;  and  conveyance  a  dicouvert  by  railway  companies 
on  behalf  of  the  Post  Office  would  give  rise  to  obvious  practical  difficulties.  In 
Germany  and  Switzerland  postal  parcels  are  so  despatched,  but  the  railways  are 
State-owned  in  those  countries,  and  the  service  is  in  many  respects  a  railway 
service. 


CONCLUSION  333 

parcels  by  the  Post  Office  are  not  in  the  large  majority  of 
cases  adjacent  to  the  railway  stations  from  or  at  which  the 
traffic  is  despatched  or  received  by  railway.^  It  is,  in  con- 
sequence, necessary  in  such  cases  for  the  Post  Office  to  pro- 
vide a  service  between  the  respective  railway  stations  and 
post  offices. 2  If  the  railway  companies  provided  adequate 
collection  and  delivery  services  there  would  be  no  need  for 
division  of  the  function  with  the  Post  Office.  In  many 
districts,  however,  the  railway  companies  would  find  the 
provision  of  any  sort  of  regular  and  universal  service  unremu- 
nerative,  and  this  is  probably  the  ultimate  reason  why  the 
State  has  found  it  necessary  to  intervene.  In  the  United 
States  the  introduction  of  a  parcel  post,  and  its  extension  to 
heavier  parcels,  was  avowedly  in  a  large  degree  due  to  the  fact 
that  in  many  parts  of  the  country  the  railways,  which  are  in 
private  hands,  did  not  provide  any  service  for  parcels.  Where 
a  service  was  provided  by  the  railways,  the  rates  and  condi- 
tions were  not  satisfactory,  and  the  establishment  of  a  parcel 
post  represents  an  attempt  to  prevent  the  full  application  of 
the  principle  of  charging  "  what  the  traffic  will  bear." 

The  Post  Office,  moreover,  as  a  public  undertaking,  cannot 
bargain  freely  for  special  facilities  or  terms  with  individuals 
or  firms  having  large  numbers  of  parcels  for  delivery  within 
a  limited  area.  Without  such  specialization  the  Post  Office 
must  often  be  unable  to  offer  the  most  economical  service, 
and  private  carrying  agencies  secure  the  business.  In  those 
countries  where  a  parcel  post  is  in  operation,  the  Post  Office 
does  not  rank  as  a  transportation  agency  comparable  with 
those  of  the  commercial  world.  The  traffic  which  it  secures 
is  private  and  personal  rather  than  commercial,  to  a  large 
degree  exceptional  traffic  which  the  machinery  of  the  ordinary 
commercial  transportation  agencies  cannot,  or  at  any  rate  in 
general  does  not,  deal  with — traffic  for  remote  and  isolated 

'  The  railways  frequently  establish  receiving  offices  in  various  parts  of  a  town. 
The  services  necessary  for  the  conveyance  of  parcels  from  these  offices  to  the 
railway  stations  are  not,  however,  comparable  with  the  services  for  closed  parcel 
mails  between  the  post  offices  and  the  stations,  but  rather  with  the  services 
between  branch  post  offices  and  the  chief  post  office.  The  service  from  the  chief 
post  office  to  the  railway  station  is  a  further  service. 

-  In  France  heavy  parcels  are  not  accepted  at  post  offices,  but  must  be  taken 
to  a  railway  station.     YidQ  ^uj^a,  p.  206. 


334  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

residences,  spasmodic  in  character,  and,  compared  with  the 
total  traffic  in  parcels,  small  in  amount.^  The  nniform  rate 
favours  such  traffic,  but  the  expense  to  the  Post  Office  is 
disproportionate  to  the  revenue.  From  the  broader  stand- 
point this  is  perhaps  not  altogether  loss  to  the  State,  since 
by  this  means  local  industries  are  often  brought  in  touch 
with  markets  which  could  not  otherwise  be  reached,  and 
the  rural  population  is  enabled  to  obtain  from  the  towns  many- 
amenities  not  otherwise  procurable. 

Viewed  in  the  light  of  these  considerations,  and  especially 
of  the  fact  that  it  is  open  to  competition  at  all  points  where 
its  rates  would  prove  profitable,  it  will  not  appear  extra- 
ordinary that  the  parcel  post  is  less  successful  financially  than 
the  letter  post.^  The  conditions  under  which  postal  business 
is  conducted  render  it  impossible  to  earmark  the  expenses 
properly  chargeable  to  the  parcel  post,  since  expenses  are 
for  the  most  part  incurred  jointly.  But  the  parcel  post  is  to 
a  large  extent  a  secondary  service  engrafted  on  the  letter  post, 
and  is  perhaps  not  properly  chargeable  with  a  mathematical 
proportion  of  the  total  cost  of  the  two  services  based  on 
the  relative  cost  of  handling  individual  letters  and  indivi- 
dual parcels.  Theoretical  estimates  of  the  cost  of  the  parcel 
post  must,  therefore,  be  accepted  with  reserve.  But  a  proved 
moderate  loss  on  the  parcel  post  would  not  be  conclusive 
against  the  propriety  of  its  maintenance.  Postal  rates  are 
simple,  definite,  and  generally  known;  and  every  post  office 
is  a  receiving  agency.  It  is  convenient  to  use  the  post,  which 
offers  the  further  advantages  of  quick  transmission,  and  the 
greater  degree  of  security  attaching  to  a  State  institution. 
The  line  on  which  a  postal  service  for  small  parcels  can  best 
be  justified  is  that  by  the  utilization  of  existing  machinery 
for  the  disposal  of  additional  traffic,  not  so  large  as  to  over- 
burden or  disorganize  the  practical  arrangements,  a  useful 
public  advantage  can  be  secured  without  inordinate  cost. 
Nevertheless,  the  parcel  post  service  is  not  a  true  postal 
service,  but  rather  a  commercial  undertaking.3     The  question 

^  The  general  proportion  of  parcels  to  letters  for  the  United  Kingdom  as  a 
whole  is  1  in  40 ;  but  on  some  of  the  remoter  rural  routes  the  proportion  of 
parcels  frequently  rises  to  1  in  20,  and  sometimes  to  more  than  1  in  10. 

2  Vide  supra,  pp.  190  and  219. 

3  The  naval  operations  during  the  present  war  in  regard  to  neutral   mails 


CONCLUSION  '       335 

of  the  legitimacy  of  State  control,  which  in  the  case  of  the 
letter  post  is  of  academic  interest  only,  is  therefore  of  real 
importance  in  the  case  of  a  parcel  service,  and  those  who 
have  a  distrust  of  all  State  interference  in  industry  may 
legitimately  argue  that  it  should  stand  aside  from  the  parcel 
business. 

have  brought  out  clearly  the  essential  distinction  between  letters  and  parcels. 
The  arguments  as  to  the  customary  inviolability  of  mails  have  been  based  on 
the  idea  of  free  communication.  But  parcels  containing  goods,  possibly  con- 
traband, e.g.  rubber,  obviously  cannot  claim  the  privileges  of  communications, 
and  the  right  of  sea-power  to  interfere  with  parcel  mails  has  been  admitted. 
♦'  The  Government  of  the  United  States  is  inclined  to  regard  parcels  post 
articles  as  subject  to  the  same  treatment  as  articles  sent  by  express  or  freight 
in  respect  of  belligerent  search,  seizure,  and  condemnation." — United  States 
Note  to  Great  Britain,  10th  January  1916. 


APPENDIXES 


APPENDIX    A 


I.  RATES  OF  INLAND  LETTER  POSTAGE  CHARGED 
IN  ENGLAND,   1635-1915 

WiTHERiNGs'  Kates,  1635. 


Under  80  miles 

80  miles  and  not  exceeding  140 
Above  140     . . 
To  or  from  Scotland 
,,       ,,     Ireland 


Single 
Letter. 


2d. 
4d. 
6d. 

8d. 
9d. 


Double 
Letter. 


4d. 

8d. 

12d. 


Per  ounce. 


6d. 

9d. 

12d. 


After  2  ounces,  6d. 
the  lounce. 


— Royal  Proclamation  of  31st  July  1635. 

This  was  the  introduction  of  postage  in  the  modern  sense.  The 
object  of  the  exceptional  rate  for  Ireland  was  to  avoid  interference 
with  a  Proclamation  recently  issued  there  by  the  Lord  Deputy  and 
Council. 

"A  single  letter  is  one  written  on  one  sheet  of  paper  sealed;  a 
double  letter  is  one  sheet  of  paper  which  covers  another  sheet 
sealed  up;  a  treble  letter  proportionately." — Calendar  of  State 
Papers  (Domestic  Series),  1658,  p.  368. 

Ordinance  of  1657. 


For  every  Letter— 


To  or  from  any  place  within  80  miles  of  London 
At  a  further  distance  than  80  miles 

To  or  from  Scotland         

To  or  from  Ireland  

In  Ireland — 

To  or  from  any  place  within  40  miles  of 

Dublin         

At  a  further  distance  than  40  miles  . . 


If  Single. 

If  Double. 

8.     d. 

s.    d. 

0     2 

0     4  . 

0     3 

0     6 

0     4 

0     8 

0     6 

1     0 

0     2 

0    4 

0     4 

0    8 

B.  d. 

0  8 

1  0 

1  6 

2  0 


0  8 

1  0 


— H.  Scobell,  A  Collection  of  Acts  and  Ordinances,  London,  1658,  p.  512. 


336 


APPENDIXES 


337 


Act  of  1660  (12  Car.  II,  Cap.  35). 


From  London — 

80  miles  and  under 

Above  80  miles  . . 
To  or  from  Berwick 
From  Berwick  within  Scotland — 

40  miles  and  under 

Above  40  miles  . . 
To  or  from  Dublin 
From  Dublin  within  Ireland — 

40  miles  and  under 

Above  40  miles  . . 


On  Single 
Letter. 

On  Double 
Letter. 

Per  ounce. 

d. 

d. 

d. 

2 

4 

8 

3 

6 

12 

3 

6 

18 

2 

4 

8 

4 

8 

12 

G 

12 

24 

2 

4 

8 

4 

8 

12 

N.B. — There  were  no  cross  posts.  Between  two.  towns  not  on 
the  same  post  road,  however  near,  letters  could  circulate  only- 
through  London,  and  whenever  a  letter  passed  through  London 
an  additional  rate  was  imposed,  e.g.  from  Bristol  to  Exeter  (less 
than  80  miles)  a  tetter  would  be  sent  via  London  and  charged  two 
rates  for  over  80  miles. 


1711  (9  Anne,  Cap.  10). 


From  London — 

80  miles  and  under 

Above  80  miles 

To  Edinburgh        

To  Dublin 

From  Edinburgh  within  Scotland — 

50  miles  and  under 

Above  50  miles  and  not  exceeding  80  miles. . 

Above  80  miles   . . 
From  Dublin  within  Ireland — 

40  miles  and  under 

Above  40  miles  . . 


Single.     I    Double. 


d. 

G 

8 

12 

12 

4 
6 
8 

4 
8 


Ounce. 


d. 
12 
16 
24 
24 

8 
12 
16 

8 
16 


The  initial  charge  was  raised  from  2d.  to  3d.  The  area  of  the 
penny  post  delivery  was  therefore  restricted  to  the  10-mile  circle 
from  the  General  Post  Office.  Previously,  towns  within  about  20 
miles  had  been  served  by  the  penny  post,  but  an  additional  penny 
was  charged  for  all  packets  delivered  in  the  suburbs. 

23 


338  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

1765  (5  Geo.  Ill,  Cap.  25). 
For  Great  Britain — 

Not  exceeding  one  post  stage  . .  . .  . .         . .  . .     Id. 

For  England  only — 

Over  one  and  not  exceeding  two  stages      . .         2d. 

No  change  was  made  in  other  inland  rates. 

1784  (24  Geo.  Ill,  Sess.  2,  Cap.  25). 

The  rates  of  1 765  were  increased  by  Id.  for  a  single  letter  for  distances  under 
150  miles,  and  2d.  for  greater     istances. 


1796  (37  Geo.  Ill,  Cap.  18). 
Within  England,  Wales,  and  Berwick —  For  a  single 

Letter. 

Not  exceeding  15  miles  . .         . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  3d. 

From  15  to    30  miles 4d. 

„      30  to    60    „ 6d. 

„      60  to  100    „ 6d. 

„    lOOto  150    ,, 7d. 

Over  150  miles 8d. 

Within  Scotland — 

In  addition  to  existing  rates  Id. 


1801  (41  Geo.  Ill,  Cap.  7). 

Within  Great  Britain — 

Not  exceeding  15  miles        . .         . .         . .         . .         . .         • .  3d. 

15  to    30  miles         4d. 

30  to    50    ,,             5d. 

50  to    80    „             6d. 

80  to  120     „             7d. 

120  to  170    „             8d. 

170  to  230     „             9d. 

230  to  300    „            lOd. 

For  every  100  miles  above  300 Id. 

1805  (45  Geo.  Ill,  Cap.  11). 
Within  Great  Britain,  in  addition  to  existing  rates — 

Id.  for  a  single  letter 

2d.     ,,     double     ,,  • 

3d.     ,,     triple       ,, 

id.    ,,  an  ounce  letter. 


APPENDIXES 


1 339 


1812  (52  Geo.  Ill,  Cap.  88). 
Within  Great  Britain — 


For  a  Single 

Letter. 


Not  exceeding  15  miles       . .         . .         . .         4d. 


Above 


15  but  not  exceeding  20  miles 

20 

30 

30   , 

50 

60 

80 

80   , 

120 

120   , 

170 

170 

230 

230 

300 

300 

400 

400 

500 

500 

600 

600 

700 

700  mile 

s 

5d. 

6d. 

7d. 

8d. 

9d. 
lOd. 
lid. 
12d. 
13d. 
Ud. 
15d. 
16d. 
17d. 


These  rates  were  re-enacted  by  1  Vict.,  cap.  34,  §  3.  The  usual 
increased  charges  for  double,  treble,  and  ounce  letters  applied 
throughout.  Additional  rates  were  charged  in  respect  of  con- 
veyance by  packet  boat,  e.g.  for  a  single  letter  between  Holyhead 
and  Dublin,  2d. ;  in  respect  of  Menai  Bridge,  Id. ;  in  respect  of 
Conway  Bridge,  Id. ;  and  in  respect  of  any  letter  conveyed  in 
Scotland  by  a  mail  carriage  with  more  than  two  wheels,  Jd.  (See 
1  Vict.,  cap.  34,  §§  3,  5,  6  and  7).^ 

By  2  and  3  Vict.,  cap.  52,  the  Treasury  was  empowered  to 
regulate  rates  of  postage,  and  subsequent  changes  have  been  made 
by  Treasury  Warrant. 


1840. 


Not  exceeding  ^  oimce . .         . .       Id. 

(uniform  rate  irrespective  of  distance  of  transmission). 
„  1  ounce  (        „  „  „  )  ..       8d. 

For  each  additional  ounce,  or  fraction  of  an  ounce,  2d. 


1865. 

Rate  for  letters  exceeding  1  ounce  in  weight  reduced  to  Id.  for  each  ^  ounee, 
or  fraction  of  J  ounce,  after  the  first  ounce. 


*  For  particulars  of  other  Acts  relating  to  packet  postage,  and  of  Aotf 
relating  to  Ship  Letters,  and  to  rates  of  postage  within  Ireland,  see  Schedule  A 
of  1  Vict.,  cap.  32.  Rates  for  transmission  within  Ireland  were  also  fixed  by 
1  Vict.,  cap.  34  (§  4). 


340  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

1871. 
Not  exceeding  1  ounce  . .         . .         . .         . .         . .         . .         . .       Id. 

,,  2  ounces  ..         ..     IJd. 

For  every  additional  2  ounces  or  fraction  of  2  ounces  up  to  12  ounces,  ^d. 
For  letters  exceeding  12  ounces  in  weight,  Id.  per  ounce,  including  the  first 
ounce. 

1885. 

Rate  of  ^d.  per  ounce  after  the  second  ounce  continued  without  limit. 

1897. 

Not  exceeding  4  ounces  . .         . .         . .         Id. 

For  every  2  ounces,  or  fraction  of  2  ounces,  thereafter,  ^d. 

1915. 

Not  exceeding  1  ounce  Id. 

,,  2  ounces  . .         . .         . .       2d. 

For  every  2  ounces,  or  fraction  of  2  ounces,  thereafter,  i^d. 


II.   FOREIGN  RATES   IN  THE   BRITISH   SERVICE 

One  of  the  earliest  regular  posts  in  England  was  the  post  to 
Dover,  established  for  the  transmission  of  despatches  to  and  from 
the  Continent.^  This  post  early  assumed  considerable  importance 
relatively  to  the  other  posts.  The  settlement  of  foreign  artisans  in 
this  country,  in  consequence  of  the  persecutions  on  the  Continent, 
naturally  led  to  the  growth  of  a  considerable  intercourse  with  places 
abroad.  There  was  besides  a  large  cloth  trade.  Letters  were  not, 
however,  sent  exclusively  by  the  King's  post.  Frequently  the 
merchants  made  their  own  arrangements  for  the  conveyance  of 
their  letters;  and  since  one  of  the  functions  of  the  post  in  those 
days  was  to  enable  the  authorities  to  keep  a  close  watch  on  all 
correspondence  passing  within  the  realm,  in  order  that  conspira- 
cies against  the  State  might  be  detected,  this  proceeding  of  the 
merchants  was  viewed  by  the  Government  with  much  jealousy. 
It  led  to  the  first  assumption  by  the  State  of  the  monopoly  of 
the  carriage  of  letters.  In  1591,  before  the  use  of  the  posts  for 
the  transmission  of  inland  letters  for  private  individuals  had  been 
bfl&cially  recognized,  a  royal  proclamation  forbade  the  conveyance 
of  letters  to  or  from  places  outside  the  realm  except  by  the 
King's  post.  A  further  proclamation  to  the  same  effect,  so  far  as 
it  related  to  foreign  letters,  was  issued  in  1609.=^ 

In  1619  the  foreign  post  was  separated  from  the  ordinary  post, 
and  a  foreigner,  Matthew  De  Quester,  who  had  been  appointed  by 

*  Vide  supra,  p.  6,  n.  1.  =  Ibid.,  p.  7. 


APPENDIXES 


341 


Lord  Stanhope,  then  Master  of  the  Posts,  to  superintend  the  foreign 
post,  was  appointed  to  control  the  service.  In  1626  De  Quester 
published  the  following  tariff  applicable  to  foreign  letters : — 

To  or  from  the  Hague,  Brussels,  Paris,  and  Vienna      . .  SOs. 

To  or  from  any  part  of  Germany 68. 

From  Venice  for  a  single  letter 9d. 

From  Venice  for  any  letter  other  than  a  single  letter    . .  2s.  8d. 

From  Leghorn  and  Florence  for  a  single  letter  . .         . .  Is. 
From  Leghorn  and  Florence  for  any  letter  other  than  a 

single  letter  ..         3s.  the  ounce.' 

The  tariff  was  incomplete,  but  is  noteworthy  as  the  first  set  of 
rates  of  any  description  issued  in  England  for  the  conveyance  of 
letters  by  post.  Stanhope  had  charged  certain  fees  on  letters  for 
the  Continent.  On  letters  to  or  from  Amsterdam  or  Hamburg,  for 
example,  his  fee  had  been  Sd.^  But,  until  this  time,  no  general 
table  of  rates  had  been  issued. 

By  the  Ordinance  of  16573  the  following  rates  for  foreign  letters 
were  established : — 


To  Leghorn,  Genoa,  Florence,  Lyons,  Mar 

seilles,  Aleppo,  Constantinople 
To  St.  Malo,  Morlaix,  Nieuhaven    . . 
To  Bordeaux,  Rochelle,  Nantes,  Bayonne 

Cadiz,  Madrid  

To  Hamburg,  Frankfort,  Cologne    . . 

To  Dantzic,  Leipsic,  Liibeck,   Stockholm 

Copenhagen,  Elsinore,  KOnigsberg 


For  a 
Single 
Letter. 


12 
6 

9 

8 

12 


Double 
Letter. 


d. 

24 
12 

18 
16 

24 


Per 
ounce. 


d. 

45 

18 

24 
24 

48 


No  rates  were  fixed  for  letters  passing  outside  Europe. 

These  rates  were  not  substantially  altered  by  the  Act  of  1660, 
although  in  some  cases  a  variation  according  to  the  route  followed 
was  introduced.  For  example,  a  letter  sent  to  the  North  of  Italy 
via  Lyons  was  charged  3d.  more  than  a  letter  sent  direct. 

Under  James  II  rates  of  postage  (6d.  a  single  letter.  Is.  a  double 
letter,  and  2s.  the  ounce)  were  fixed  for  letters  to  and  from  Jamaica, 
although  no  service  to  and  from  the  island  was  provided  by  the 
Crown. 

*  Calendar  of  State  Papers  {Domestic  Series) ^  1626-6,  p.  523. 

»  H.  Joyce,  History  of  tJie  Post  Office,  p.  12. 

•J  H.  Scobell,  A  Collection  of  Acts  and  Ordinances,  London,  1G58,  p.  613. 


U2  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

In  1686  regular  mail  services  were  established  under  contract 
between  Dover  and  Calais  and  between  Dover  and  Ostend,  and  in 
1687  a  service  between  England  and  Holland.  It  is  probable  that 
packets  were  sailing  between  Dover  and  Calais  before  that  time,' 
but  in  general  the  cross-Channel  services  had  previously  been 
conducted  by  boats  hired  casually  for  the  conveyance  of  particular 
mails.  For  the  Calais  service  a  sum  of  £1,170  a  year  was  paid, 
and  for  the  Dutch  service  a  sum  of  £900  a  year.^ 

Letters  from  abroad  brought  by  merchant  ships  (known  as  "  ship 
letters")  were  by  the  Ordinance  of  16573  and  by  the  Act  of  1660 
made  subject  to  postage  on  arrival  in  this  country.  Such  letters 
were  required  to  be  given  up  to  the  postmaster  at  the  port  of  arrival, 
who  forwarded  the  letters  to  London,  where  they  were  charged  with 
the  proper  amount  of  postage.  No  payment  was  made  to  the  ship- 
master in  respect  of  letters  handed  over  to  the  Post  Office  in  this 
way,  and  no  penalty  was  incurred  if  the  letters  were  not  so  handed 
over.  This  part  of  the  Act  consequently  remained  a  dead  letter. 
The  farmers  of  the  Post  Office  saw,  however,  that  it  would  be 
profitable  to  them  to  offer  a  small  pecuniary  inducement  to  the 
shipmasters,  and  accordingly  offered  to  pay  a  penny  for  every  letter 
brought  by  private  ship  and  handed  over  by  the  shipmaster  to  the 
postmaster  of  the  port  of  arrival.'*  As  the  farmers  were  able  to 
charge  the  legal  rate  of  inland  postage  on  all  such  letters,  there  was 
a  sufficient  margin  to  leave  a  profit  after  payment  of  the  penny. 
The  regular  ship  letter  fee,  which  was  afterwards  legalized,  origi- 
nated in  this  practice. 

Most  of  the  ship  letters  came  to  the  port  of  London,  and  the 
establishment  of  the  penny  post  in  1680  had  a  serious  effect  on  the 
proceeds  of  the  ship  letter  money.  If  the  letters  were  for  delivery  in 
London,  they  could  be  dropped  into  the  penny  post  for  delivery  at 
a  penny  each,  whereas  if  handed  in  to  the  General  Post  Office  as 
ship  letters  they  would  be  charged  at  the  appropriate  foreign  rates, 
according  to  their  place  of  origin.  Thus,  letters  from  Marseilles 
for  delivery  in  London  would  be  charged  Is.  each,  although  the 
service  actually  performed  by  the  Post  Office  was  no  greater  than 
that  performed  for  a  penny  in  the  penny  post.  The  foreign  rates, 
as  applied  to  ship  letters,  were  therefore  for  the  most  part  a  simple 
tax,  and  the  use  of  the  penny  post  was  greatly  resorted  to.s  The 
Postmasters- General  protested  continually  against  this  fraud  on  the 

*  H.  Joyce,  ibid.,  p.  72.  «  Ibid.,  p.  73.  3  h.  Scobell,  ibid. 

*  Historical  Summary  of  Post  Office  Services,  London,  1911,  p.  47. 

5  The  number  of  letters  still  handed  in  to  the  General  Post  Office  was,  how- 
ever, quite  considerable.  Thus,  in  1686,  60,447  ship  letters  were  received. — Vide 
H.  Joyce,  ibid.,  p.  74. 


APPENDIXES  343 

revenue ;  and  in  1696,  in  order  to  put  a  stop  to  it,  two  officers  were 
appointed  whose  duty  it  was  to  receive  letters  and  packets  from  all 
•'  masters  of  ships  and  vessels,  mariners,  and  passengers  as  shall  be 
by  them  hereafter  brought  in  any  ships  or  vessels  into  the  Port  of 
London."^ 

The  payment  of  a  penny  a  letter  to  the  shipmasters  was  without 
legal  sanction  until  the  Act  of  1711.*  This  Act  revised  the  foreign 
rates,  in  general  in  an  upward  direction,  the  increase  on  the  rates 
of  1660  varying  from  Id.  to  3d.,  and  first  established  statutory  rates 
for  letters  passing  to  or  from  the  colonies.  From  London  to  or  from 
the  West  Indies  the  rate  was  18d.  for  a  single  letter,  and  to  or 
from  New  York  12d.  The  rate  to  the  West  Indies  was,  in  1765, 
reduced  to  Is.  for  a  single  letter,  and  this  rate  became  in  course  of 
time  the  standard  for  all  colonial  letters. 

In  1796,  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  shilling  rate,  letters  from  the 
colonies  were  subjected  to  a  charge  at  the  inland  rate  in  respect  of 
transmission  within  this  country :  e.g.,  a  letter  from  America  would 
be  charged  the  shilling  rate,  and  the  inland  rate  from  Falmouth  to 
its  destination.  An  addition  of  4d.  was  also  made  to  the  rates  on 
letters  to  or  from  places  abroad,  other  than  places  in  the  colonies. 
In  1805  an  additional  penny  was  laid  on  letters  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  American  Colonies. 

The  Act  of  1711  had  made  illegal  the  despatch  by  private  ship  of 
letters  which  could  be  sent  by  the  regular  packets;  but  for  places  to 
which  no  packet  service  existed,  shipmasters  were  free  to  accept 
and  carry  letters,  and  to  charge  what  fees  they  chose.  So  far  as  it 
directed  that  all  letters  for  places  abroad  should  be  sent  by  packet 
where  a  packet  service  existed,  the  Act  was  ineffective.  From  the 
chief  coffee-houses  in  the  City  of  London  it  was  customary  to 
collect  letters  to  be  sent  in  this  way  by  private  ship  where  no  packet 
service  existed.  This  practice  was  extended  to  those  places  to 
which  there  was  a  packet  service,  and  became  generally  recognized. 
Shipmasters  usually  charged  a  fee  of  2d.  per  letter,3  and  the  whole 
traffic  was  conducted  independently  of  the  Post  Office. 

No  attempt  was  made  to  collect  postage  on  letters  conveyed  by 
private  ship,  whether  received  or  despatched  by  such  ship,  except 
in  respect  of  transmission  within  the  kingdom.  The  penny  author- 
ized by  the  Act  of  1711  went  to  the  master  of  the  ship.  About  the 
year  1790  Frederick  Bourne,  a  clerk  in  the  foreign  department  of 
the  Post  Office,  suggested  a  scheme  which  should  bring  all  ship 
letters  into  the  post  and  subject  them  to  postage  for  foreign  trans- 
mission.    He  proposed  that  inward  ship  letters  should  be  charged 

»  London   Gazette,  No.  3247,    21st-24th  December   1696;    cited   H.    Joyce, 
ibid.,  n.  2.  '^  9  Ainie,  cap.  10,  §  16.  3  H.  Joyce,  ibid.,  p.  329. 


344  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

a  uniform  rate  of  4d.,  and  outward  letters  should  be  charged  half  the 
packet  rate;  for  those  places  to  which  there  was  no  packet  rate, 
the  rate  was  to  be  based  on  what  the  packet  rate  might  be  presumed 
to  be  if  a  packet  service  existed.  In  view  of  the  long  period  during 
which  the  provisions  of  the  Act  of  Anne  had  not  been  enforced  in 
this  respect,  Pitt  was  unwilling  to  attempt  to  suppress  the  illegal 
practice  which  had  grown  up.  He  considered  that  in  respect  of 
outward  letters  the  service  performed  by  the  Post  Office,  which 
amounted  to  no  more  than  sealing  the  bags  and  handing  them  to 
the  shipmaster,  was  insufficient  to  justify  compulsory  payment  of 
packet  postage.  The  proposal  was  therefore  adopted  only  as  a 
permissive  measure :  merchants  were  given  the  option  of  handing 
their  letters  to  the  Post  Office.  The  Act  authorizing  the  change 
empowered  the  Post  Office  to  despatch  and  receive  letters  by  vessels 
other  than  the  regular  sailing  packets.  On  letters  despatched  by 
private  ship  the  Post  Office  was  authorized  to  charge  half  the 
packet  rates  in  the  case  of  letters  for  places  to  which  a  packet 
service  existed;  in  cases  in  which  no  rate  of  postage  was  estab- 
lished, the  charge  was  to  be  half  the  rates  then  paid,  as  near  as 
could  be  ascertained.^  On  letters  brought  in  by  such  vessels,  in 
addition  to  the  inland  postage,  a  charge  of  4d.  a  single  letter,  and 
so  in  proportion,  was  authorized.  A  fee  of  2d.  was  payable  to  the 
master  of  the  ship  in  respect  of  every  letter  delivered  to  or  received 
from  him  by  the  Post  Office  in  proper  course. 

A  Ship  Letter  Office  was  opened  on  the  10th  September  1799. 
No  vessel  was  allowed  to  make  entry  or  break  bulk  until  letters 
brought  by  it  had  been  handed  over  to  the  Post  Office.  The  chief 
object  in  view  was  not,  however,  achieved.  Letters  sent  out  of  the 
country  by  private  ship  still  continued  for  the  most  part  to  be 
handed  to  the  shipmaster  without  the  intervention  of  the  Post 
Office.  Efforts  were  made  to  secure  the  assistance  of  coffee-house 
keepers  as  agents  of  the  Post  Office,  but  without  success  ;  and  for 
many  years  the  proportion  between  incoming  and  outgoing  private 
ship  letters  was  eighteen  to  one.^ 

In  1814  a  further  Ship  Letter  Act  3  raised  the  rate  on  inward 
single  letters  from  4d.  to  6d.,  and  made  it  compulsory  to  hand  all 
outward  ship  letters  to  the  Post  Office  to  be  charged.  The  East 
India  Company,  whose  servants  had  previously  been  allowed  to 
send  and  receive  letters  free,  protested  strongly  against  the  new 
Act,  although  the  official  correspondence  of  the  Company  had 
been  exempted.     The  Company  pointed  out  that  the  Post  Office 

*  Act  of  39  Geo.  III.,  cap.  76,  §§1  and  2  ;  H.  Joyce,  ibid. ;  J.  C.  Hemmeon, 
History  of  the  British  Post  Office,  p.  124. 

'  H.  Joyce,  ibid.,  p.  330.  3  54  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  169. 


APPENDIXES  345 

maintained  no  packet  communication  with  the  East  Indies,  and 
to  charge  postage  was  to  levy  a  charge  where  no  service  was 
performed,  and  in  effect  to  lay  a  tax  on  letter-writing.  They  had 
a  stronger  weapon  than  sound  argument :  the  ships  sailing  between 
England  and  India  were  to  a  large  extent  controlled  by  them,  and 
the  Act  laid  no  compulsion  on  the  owners  of  private  ships  to  carry 
letters  for  the  Post  Office.  When,  therefore,  the  Post  Ofi&ce  re- 
quested the  Company  to  carry  post  letters  to  India,  the  Company 
replied  that  they  did  "  not  see  fit  to  authorize  the  commanders  or 
owners  of  any  of  their  ships  to  take  charge  of  any  bag  of  letters 
from  the  Post  Oflice  subjected  to  a  rate  of  postage  for  sea  con- 
veyance." ^  In  consequence  of  this  difficulty  an  Act  was  passed 
in  1815  making  it  compulsory  on  all  shipmasters  to  carry  such  mails 
as  should  be  tendered  to  them  by  the  Post  Office.  The  Post  Office 
was  required  to  pay  the  owners  a  reasonable  sum  as  remuneration 
for  the  carriage  of  the  letters,  the  ordinary  fee  of  2d.  a  letter  still 
being  paid  to  the  commander  as  a  perquisite.  The  East  India 
Company  was  placated  by  the  concession  of  further  exemptions  in 
its  favour.  By  this  Act  the  rate  of  postage  to  India  or  the  Cape 
was  fixed  at  14:3..  the  ounce  on  letters,  and  on  newspapers  at  3d. 
the  ounce — the  first  enactment  providing  a  lower  rate  for  newspapers 
than  for  letters  in  the  foreign  service.^ 

The  result  of  this  Act  was  eminently  satisfactory.  In  the  first 
eighteen  months  or  so  the  postage  on  letters  for  India  and  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  amounted  to  £11,658,  while  the  amount  paid  for  the 
conveyance  by  private  ship  was  only  £1,250 ;  although  it  should  be 
explained  that  expense  was  incurred  for  less  than  half  the  number 
of  despatches,  the  remainder  being  conveyed  by  his  Majesty's  ships, 
or  by  ships  of  the  East  India  Company  which  were  placed  at  the 
disposal  of  the  Post  Office  free  of  charge. 

Other  minor  changes  were  made  in  subsequent  years.  In  1836 
a  postal  treaty  was  arranged  with  France,  under  which  certain 
rates — in  general,  rates  slightly  lower  than  those  previously  in 
force — were  agreed  for  all  letters  passing  through  France. 

The  rates  for  colonial  letters  were  revised  when  uniform  postage 
was  introduced  in  the  inland  service.  They  were  made  chargeable 
according  to  weight,  and  for  transmission  to  any  port  in  the  colonies 
wore  fixed  generally  at  Is.  the  ^  ounce. 

In  1850,  on  political  grounds,  the  Postmaster-General  3  proposed 
the  establishment  of  a  general  Is.  rate  for  all  colonial  letters.  The 
proposal  was  not  immediately  adopted,  but  a  few  years  later  a  rate 
of   6d.  the  ^  ounce  was  estabhshed  for  all  parts  of  the   Empire 

»  H.  Joyce,  ibid.,  p.  362.  '  Ibid.,  p.  363 ;  65  Geo.  UI,  cap.  163, 

3  The  Marquis  of  Clanricarde. 


346  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

except  India,  the  Cape,  Mauritius,  and  Tasmania.  This  rate  was 
extended  to  all  the  colonies  in  1857,  and  to  the  United  States 
in  1868.  In  1869  the  rate  for  letters  to  the  United  States, 
Canada,  and  Prince  Edward  Island  was  reduced  to  3d.  In  1875 
the  Universal  Postal  Union  rate  of  2Jd.  came  into  operation.  The 
next  great  advance  was  the  result  mainly  of  the  efforts  of  Sir 
J.  Henniker  Heaton,  who  for  many  years  advocated  the  facili- 
tation of  postal  intercourse,  especially  within  the  Empire.  In 
1898  penny  postage  was  established  between  the  United  Kingdom 
and  all  the  chief  colonies  except  Australia,  the  Cape,  and  Natal. 
In  1905  these  colonies  joined,  and  were  followed  by  Egypt  and 
the  Sudan. 

In  1907  a  special  rate  of  Id.  a  pound  was  established  for 
magazines  and  trade  journals  posted  in  the  United  Kingdom 
for  Canada.  The  rate  did  not  cover  the  cost  of  service,  and  its 
justification  is  to  be  sought  in  political  considerations.  In  order 
to  secure  the  low  rate  Canada  undertook  to  defray  the  whole 
cost  of  ocean  transport.  Difficulties  in  regard  to  the  financial 
arrangements  arose  subsequently,  and  on  the  1st  January  1915 
the  rate  was  altered  to  the  following,  viz.  Id.  for  the  first  6  ounces, 
IJd.  for  1^  pounds,  2Jd.  for  2|  pounds,  and  so  on. 

Under  the  old  system  the  rates  of  postage  were  for  the  most 
part  nominal,  that  is  to  say,  no  attempt  was  made  to  adjust  the 
rates  to  the  actual  cost  of  providing  the  service,  although  in  allo- 
cating between  the  different  States  the  total  amount  of  postage, 
a  rough  assignment  as  between  land  and  sea  services  was  made.^ 
The  usual  6d.  rate  for  single  letters  to  and  from  the  various  colonies 
illustrates  this.  The  actual  cost  of  service  must  have  varied  greatly. 
In  the  case  of  the  colonies  other  considerations,  mainly  political, 
were  allowed  to  enter.  In  the  case  of  foreign  countries  the  whole 
arrangements  for  the  interchange  of  correspondence  were  based 
on  such  agreements  as  could  be  arrived  at,  and  the  actual  rates  of 

•  "  The  principle  upon  which  the  postal  communication  between  England 
and  the  Australian  colonies  has  latterly  been  conducted  is,  that  a  postage  of  6d. 
for  a  single  letter  has  been  charged,  of  which  4d.  was  understood  to  represent 
the  sea  rate,  Id.  for  collecting  or  delivering  a  single  letter  in  any  part  of  the 
United  Kingdom,  and  the  same  in  any  part  of  the  colonies  ;  so  that  the  whole 
cost  of  sending  a  letter  from  any  part  of  the  United  Kingdom  to  any  part  of  the 
Australian  colonies,  or  vice  versa,  should  not  exceed  6d. 

"  As  the  whole  cost  of  the  packet  service  has  hitherto  been  borne  by  the 
Imperial  Government,  the  portion  of  the  postage  which  represented  the  sea 
service  has  been  accounted  for  to  the  Home  Post  Office,  so  that  of  the  6d. 
charged,  5d.  has  been  appropriated  to  England,  and  Id.  to  the  colony  receiving  or 
despatching  the  letter,  as  the  case  might  be," — Second  Beiiort  of  the  Postmaster^ 
General,  London,  1856,  p.  66. 


APPENDIXES  347 

postage  were  determined  in  that  way.^  The  chief  difficulties  in 
negotiations  occurred  in  connection  with  the  division  between  the 
contracting  parties  of  the  postage  collected.  The  packet  service 
was  often  conducted  at  a  loss,  and  the  rates  of  postage  on  foreign 
and  colonial  letters  were  not,  in  general,  fixed  with  a  view  to 
rendering  the  service  self-supporting,  although  this  was  regarded 
as  a  condition  to  be  aimed  at.^ 

By  the  Consolidating  Acts  of  1837  (1  Vict.,  cap.  34  &  36)  the 
Postmaster-General  was  empowered  to  require  the  masters  of 
outward-bound  vessels  to  accept  mails,  and  to  deliver  them  with- 
out delay  on  arrival  at  the  port  of  destination,  under  penalty  of 
£200. 

The  general  character  of  the  foreign  packet  service  was  entirely 
changed  by  the  introduction  of  steam  propulsion,  which  greatly 
shortened  the  length  of  voyages  and  introduced  a  degree  of 
punctuality  and  regularity  hitherto  undreamt  of.  Until  this  time 
the  Post  Office  had,  for  many  long-distance  services,  relied  on 
its  own  packets ;  i.e.  packets  sailing  under  contract  expressly  for 
the  conveyance  of  the  mails  and  under  the  control  of  the  Post  Office. 
In  1818,  with  the  introduction  of  steam  vessels,  this  policy  was 
changed  and  that  of  Crown  ownership  of  the  packets  adopted. 
This  method  was  found  extremely  costly,  and  the  Commissioners 
of  Eevenue  Inquiry  reported  emphatically  against  it.3 

The  policy  of  providing  for  the  service  by  contract  was  then 
reverted  to.  It  now  appeared,  however,  that  vessels  sailing  for 
commercial  purposes  could  be  counted  upon  to  sail  and  arrive 
regularly,  and  the  Government  desired  therefore  to  make  use  of 
them  for  the  despatch  of  mails.  It  was  proposed  to  forward  mails 
by  the  Great  Western  under  the  powers  conferred  on  the  Postmaster- 
General  by  the  Act  of  1837  (1  Vict.  34,  §  19)  for  the  prescribed 
remuneration  (§  24).  The  owners  refused  to  carry  mails  on  these 
terms,  and  the  Law  Officers  advised  that  the  Postmaster-General 
had  no  power,  either  by  Statute  or  Common  Law,  to  compel  the 
owners  to  carry  mails.^  It  was  not  found  necessary,  perhaps  it 
was  not  deemed  wise,  to  follow  up  the  question  of  powers.  In 
1839  a  contract  was  entered  into  with  Samuel  Cunard  for  the 
provision  of  a  steamship  service  between  England  and  North 
America,  at  a  cost  to  the  Post  Office  of  £55,000  a  year.  This 
policy  proved  successful.  It  has  been  followed  in  the  case  of 
all  the  great  routes,  and  has  continued  until  the  present  day. 

In   considering   the   question   of   the  rates  of  postage  the  sums 

^  Cf.  H.  Joyce,  ibid.,  pp.  138-9. 

»  Cf.  note  1,  opposite.  3  igth  Keport,  1829,  and  22nd  Keport,  1830. 

<  Historical  Summary  of  Post  Offi,ce  Services,  p.  62. 


348  HATES  OF  POSTAGE 

paid  to  the  shipping  companies  are  a  little  misleading.  The 
payments  were  not  then,  and  are  not  now,  made  solely  from 
regard  to  the  fact  that  the  vessels  convey  mails.  Other  con- 
siderations, such  as  the  desirability  of  encouraging  the  shipping 
industry,  its  value  to  the  commerce  of  the  nation,  and  the  value 
of  a  strong  mercantile  marine  as  a  naval  reserve,  have  always 
entered  largely  into  the  question.  It  was  in  accordance  with 
this  view,  and  largely  on  account  of  abuses  in  the  administration 
of  the  services  by  the  Post  OfiBce  which  had  come  to  light,  that 
the  control  of  the  Post  Office  packet  services  and  of  contracts 
for  the  conveyance  of  mails  by  sea  was  in  1837  transferred  from 
the  Post  Office  to  the  Admiralty.  The  control  was  in  1860 
retransferred  to  the  Post  Office,  but  the  amount  of  the  subsidies 
paid  to  steamship  companies  conveying  mails  has  continued  to 
be  influenced  by  other  than  purely  Post  Office  considerations. 
The  chief  development  in  this  direction  has  been  a  legal  decision 
obtained  in  1889,  in  a  dispute  between  the  Post  Office  and  the 
Cunard  Steamship  Company,  which  arose  from  an  attempt  by  the 
Post  Office  to  introduce  the  American  system  of  despatching  mails 
by  the  fastest  ships  available,  and  paying,  not  a  general  subsidy, 
but  a  sum  calculated  on  the  basis  of  the  weight  of  mails  carried. 
The  High  Court  ruled  that  the  Postmaster-General  is  entitled  to 
have  all  such  mails  as  he  may  think  fit  received  on  board  any 
of  the  Company's  ships  and  conveyed  and  delivered  at  the  ports 
of  destination  without  delay. ^  Failing  agreement  as  to  the  payment 
to  be  made  in  respect  of  such  services,  the  Post  Office  can  fall  back 
on  its  statutory  right  to  the  conveyance  by  merchant  ship  of  all 
letter  mails  at  the  rate  of  a  halfpenny  a  letter. 

The  extension  of  penny  postage  to  all  countries  has  been  pre- 
vented simply  by  financial  considerations.^  In  1910  the  question 
of  establishing  penny  postage  with  France  received  a  good  deal 
of  public  attention  both  in  this  country  and  in  France,  but  the 
Government  were  not  prepared  at  that  time  to  face  the  sacrifice 
of  revenue. 

*  Historical  Summary  of  Post  Office  Services,  p.  55. 

'  "The  advantage  of  Imperial  unity,  which  was  held  in  1898  to  justify  the 
sacrifice  of  revenue  incidental  to  a  measure  calculated  to  bind  together  the 
United  Kingdom  and  her  possessions  beyond  the  seas,  cannot,  of  course,  be 
urged  as  a  plea  in  favour  of  universal  penny  postage ;  but  apart  from  all 
other  arguments  for  and  against  the  proposal,  the  decisive  consideration  is 
that  the  British  Government  are  not  at  present  in  a  position  to  bear  the 
very  heavy  loss  that  would  be  involved  in  the  reduction  of  foreign  postage 
from  2^d.  to  Id." — Papers  laid  before  the  Colonial  Co7iference,  1907;  Memorandum 
by  General  Post  Office  (Cd.  3524),  p.  500. 


APPENDIXES  349 

III.  THE  THURN  AND  TAXIS  POSTS 
IN   GERMANY 

The  great  number  of  the  principalities  which  made  up  the 
Germany  of  the  early  Middle  iVges,  the  mutual  jealousy  of  the 
princes,  and  the  indefinite  authority  of  the  Emperor,  made  the  in- 
troduction of  any  sort  of  general  system  of  communication 
extremely  difficult.  But  for  a  long  period  before  posts  of  the 
ordinary  type  were  established  in  Germany,  there  existed  through- 
out the  Empire  a  system  of  messengers  {Boten-Anstalten). 

These  establishments  were  maintained  by  the  political  admini- 
stration, by  the  scholastic  institutions,  by  political  corporations, 
by  merchant  bodies,  or  by  private  individuals.^  Their  function 
was  to  effect  the  exchange  of  the  correspondence  of  their  founders. 
In  addition,  the  occasional  posts  {Mctzger)^  merchants  travelling 
to  the  fairs,  judicial  and  Imperial  messengers,  and  pilgrim  monks 
were  much  employed  for  the  carrying  of  letters. 

The  system  of  Boten-Anstalten  was  widely  extended,  and  its 
functions  were  not  limited  to  the  conveyance  of  letters.^*  Its 
messengers  travelled  some  of  the  great  routes,  such  as  Hamburg- 
Stettin-Danzig  ;  Hamburg-Leipzig-Nuremberg ;  Cologne-Frankfort- 
Augsburg;  and  these  services  were  more  or  less  permanent  in 
character.  Services  on  other  routes  were  established  to  meet  local 
or  temporary  needs,  such  as  the  assembly  of  the  Keichstag,  the 
meeting  of  the  Electors,  Peace  Congresses,  War  Conferences,  and 
fairs ;  and  these  services  were  discontinued  when  the  occasion 
which  had  required  them  disappeared. 

The  organization  of  this  system  of  messengers  resembled  in  many 
ways  that  of  ordinary  posts  :  it  was  established  and'  managed  by 
the  political  authorities  ;  the  services  were  regular ;  the  routes  were 
fixed  and  stages  were  appointed  ;  and  the  messengers  undertook  the 
conveyance  of  letters,  goods,  and  persons,  by  foot,  horse,  or  wagon. 3 
At  a  later  date  letter-carriers  were  employed  in  some  instances  for 
the  delivery  of   letters    conveyed    by    the    messenger  services.     A 

•  H.  von  Stephan,  Geschichte  der  preussiscJien  Post,  Berlin,  1859,  p.  3. 

«  *'  Kommt  es  doch  vor,  dass  ein  Bote  eines  deutschen  Roichsfiirsten  ausser 
dem  Botonlohn  noch  eine  besondere  Vergiitung  beansprucht,  weil  er  auf  dam 
Botengange  gleichzeitig  einige  Schweine  fiir  die  Herrschaft  nach  dem  Bestim- 
mungsort  hat  treiben  miissen.  Da  diese  Begleitung  auf  kein  besonders  lebhaftea 
Gangtempo  schliessen  lasst,  so  diirfen  wir  es  dem  Garzonus  nicht  verdenken, 
wenn  er  die  deutschen  Boten  zum  Wetteifer  mit  ihren  Collegen  im  alten  Persien 
ermahnt,  deren  Geschwindigkeit  Xenophon  in  der  Kyropadie  mit  dem  Fluge  der 
Kraniche  vergleicht." — Ibid.,  p.  15. 

3  Ibid.,  p.  4. 


S50  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

charge  of  3  pf.  was  raised  on  letters  so  delivered,  the  delivery 
charge  on  letters  obtained  directly  from  the  Botenmeister  being  1  pf.^ 

The  intellectual  awakening  of  the  early  sixteenth  century,  the 
great  discoveries  of  that  period  and  their  effect  on  commerce, 
together  with  the  tendency  then  developing  towards  amalgamation 
of  the  principalities  and  creation  of  larger  political  entities,  all 
increased  the  necessity  for  an  efficient  system  of  intercommunica- 
tion. The  result  is  seen  in  the  establishment  of  an  Imperial  system 
of   posts.2 

The  regular  Imperial  posts  were  established  towards  the  end 
of  the  fifteenth  century  by  the  Emperor  Maximilian  I.  Johann 
von  Taxis  was  the  first  Imperial  Postmaster,  and  the  earliest  record 
of  his  tenure  of  the  office  is  in  1489.3  A  decree  suppressing  the 
system  of  Boten-Anstalten  and  the  Metzger-posten  was  issued,  but 
these  posts  continued,  and  it  was  discovered  at  a  later  date  that 
their  continuance  was  not  incompatible  with  the  maintenance  of 
a  system  of  Imperial  posts.4 

The  Imperial  posts  were  to  provide  more  particularly  for  the 
transmission  of  despatches,  and  their  immediate  object  was  to 
provide  a  means  of  obtaining  information  regarding  the  Turks,  and 
a  means  of  communication  with  the  princes  of  neighbouring  terri- 
tories.5  Their  history  is  inseparable  from  that  of  the  family  of 
Thurn  and  Taxis,  to  whom  their  management  was  from  the  first 
entrusted.  This  family  was  of  Italian  origin,  and  before  the 
establishment  of  the  Imperial  posts,  Eoger  the  First  of  Thurn  and 
Taxis  had  established  a  horse-post  between  Italy  and  the  Tyrol, 

^  B.  E.  Crole,  Oeschichte  der  deutschen  Post,  Eisenach,  1889,  p.  214. 

'  **  Die  Vereinigung  Oesterreichs  mit  den  Burgundischen  Niederlanden  ruft 
die  erste  Reichspost,  die  Vereinigung  von  Brandenburg,  Preussen,  Cleve  und 
Hinterpommern  unter  einem  Scepter  die  erste  Brandenburgische  Staatspost 
hervor," — H.  von  Stepban,  op.  cit.,  p.  5. 

3  F.  Ohmann,  Die  Anfange  des  Postwesens,  Leipzig,  1909,  pp.  49,  86,  and  92. 

*  "  (1)  Die  Unterbaltung  solcber  Boten  lange  Jahre  vor  ErricbtungderPosten 
iiblicb  gewesen ;  (2)  dem  Taxis  ,ware  nur  das  Post,  nicbt  das  Botenwesen  zu 
Leben  gegeben;  (3)  es  wiirden  ibnen  (den  Boten  namlicb)  viele  Waren  und 
Kostbarkeiten  anvertraut,  welcbe  sie  iiberliefern  und  dafiir  steben,  welcbes 
wieder  der  Postillone  Werk  nicbt  sei ;  (4)  die  Posten  dienten  wobl  zu  Brief  en, 
nicbt  aber  zu  Bestellung  anderer  Sacben,  also  konnten  Posten  und  Boten  wobl 
nebeneinander  besteben." — Imperial  Rescript  of  1686,  given  by  Beust,  Teil  1, 
s.  149  ff. ;  cited  F.  Haass,  Die  Post  und  der  Charakter  Hire  Einkunfte,  Stuttgart, 
1890,  p.  93. 

5  "  For  very  good  and  potent  reasons,  especially  on  account  of  tbe  troublesome 
war,  as  also  for  tbe  purpose  of  obtaining  good  and  reliable  information  about 
tbe  Turks,  tbe  hereditary  enemies  of  tbe  wbole  of  Christendom,  and  other 
potentates,  adjacent  to  the  Empire,  in  order  that  the  Emperor,  the  King,  and 
other  potentates  may  exchange  their  correspondence." — Dr.  Joseph  Riibsam, 
L' Union  postale,  1892,  p.  126. 


APPENDIXES  351 

which  proved  of  so  much  value  to  the  Empire  that  as  a  reward 
Eoger  was  made  a  chevaUer.  On  the  routes  along  which  the 
Imperial  posts  were  laid,  stages  were  fixed  at  intervals  of  about 
5  (German)  miles,  and  messengers  were  stationed  at  each  stage.^ 
These  messengers  from  the  first  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  exemption 
from  all  taxes  and  charges  in  all  the  countries  through  which  the 
post  routes  passed.  The  posts  were  solely  for  the  service  of  the 
Emperor,  and  at  his  charge  ;  and  at  first,  like  the  earlier  messenger 
services,  were  established  temporarily  for  special  purposes,  such  as 
the  movements  of  the  Imperial  Court,  or  to  meet  necessities  arising 
from  war ;  or  permanently  to  provide  services  between  distant  and 
newly  acquired  territory.- 

In  1500  Francis  von  Taxis  was  appointed  capitame  et  maitre  de 
nos  pastes  at  Ghent  by  PhiHp  the  Fair,  son  of  the  Emperor 
Maximilian  I,  and  in  1505  a  convention  was  concluded  between 
Philip  and  von  Taxis  under  which  the  latter  undertook  to  estabhsh 
a  Une  of  posts  between  the  Court  of  Maximilian  I,  the  Court  of  the 
French  King,  and  the  Spanish  Court,  for  a  payment  of  12,000  livres 
a  year.  The  German  and  Spanish  services  were  intended  to 
maintain  permanent  and  regular  communications.  The  French 
post  was  intended  to  facilitate  diplomatic  intercourse.3  The  time 
occupied  in  the  transmission  of  letters  between  Innsbruck  and 
Brussels  at  this  period  was  5J  days  in  summer  and  6^  days  in 
winter;  between  Paris  and  Brussels  44  hours;  and  between 
Granada  and  Brussels  15  days. 

Owing  to  financial  difficulties  the  payments  to  von  Taxis  from 
the  royal  exchequer  could  not  be  kept  up,  and  in  order  to  main- 
tain the  service  another  source  of  revenue  had  to  be  discovered. 
It  was  found  in  the  acceptance  for  transmission  by  the  posts  of 
private  letters,  and  in  allowing  the  use  of  the  posts  by  private 
persons  desirous  of  travelling.  This  was  made  part  of  the  ordinary 
business  of  the  posts,  with  the  reservation  that  the  use  of  the  posts 
by  private  persons  should  not  interfere  with  or  impede  the  official 
service.4 

'  *'  Es  lag  allweg  5  Meil  wegs  ein  Post  von  den  andern,  einer  war  zu  Kempten, 
einer  zu  Bless,  einer  an  der  Bruck  zu  Elchingen  und  also  fortan  imerdar  5  Meil 
wegs  von  einander  und  must  allweg  ein  Pot  des  andern  warten ,  und  so  bald  der 
ander  zu  ihm  ritt,  so  bliess  er  ein  homlin,  das  hort  ein  bott  der  in  der  Herberg 
lag  und  must  gleich  auf  sein.  Einer  musste  all  Stund  ein  Meil,  das  ist  2  Stund 
(wohl  fiir  den  Pussganger  berechnet)  weit  reiten,  oder  es  ist  iiim  am  Lohn 
abzogen,  und  musten  sie  reiten  Tag  und  Nacht." — •'  Memminger  Chronicle," 
cited  F.  Ohmann,  Die  Anfdnge  des  Postwesens,  Leipzig,  1909,  p.  102. 

=*  Dr.  Joseph  Riibsam,  ibid.,  p.  157.  3  Ibid,,  p.  127. 

•»  "  Contrary  to  what  was  usually  the  case  with  the  postal  arrangements  in 
antiquity  and  the  Middle  Ages,  the  institution  founded  by  Francis  von  Taxis, 
though  chiefly  intended  to  serve  the  purposes  of  the  State,  assumed  from  its 


352  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

In  1512  the  Emperor  Maximilian  conferred  on  Francis  von 
Taxis,  and  on  several  others  of  his  family,  titles  of  hereditary- 
nobility  in  the  Empire  and  in  the  Austrian  and  Burgundian 
dominions,  together  with  the  dignity  of  Count  Palsgrave.^  In  1516 
the  Taxis  posts  were  extended  to  Verona,  Rome,  and  Naples,  and 
were  improved  and  accelerated.  In  1615  the  ofi&ce  of  Imperial 
Postmaster- General  was  conferred  on  Lamoral  von  Taxis  and 
his  descendants  as  an  hereditary  fief. 

The  actual  development  of  the  posts  was  of  a  twofold  character. 
At  first  the  Taxis  family  were  able  to  establish  their  posts  in 
various  parts  of  the  Empire  without  opposition ;  the  princes  were 
themselves  satisfied  with  their  messenger  systems,  and  were  in- 
disposed to  establish  posts  on  account  of  the  heavy  cost.  But 
after  a  time,  when  the  profitable  character  of  the  Taxis  posts 
became  apparent, ^  the  princes  questioned  the  right  of  the  Imperial 
Postmaster-General  to  lay  posts  within  their  territories,  and  claimed 
that  they  alone  possessed  that  right.3  In  1597  the  posts  were 
proclaimed  an  Imperial  reservation, 4  but  this  theory  was  never 
accepted  by  the  princes. s  The  Taxis  posts,  therefore,  never  became 
general  throughout  the  Empire.  Rights  were  obtained  in  certain 
States,  so  that  they  became  an  important  system  reaching  many 
parts  of  the  Empire  ;  but  they  did  not  altogether  supplant  the 
territorial  services.^ 

In  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  the  struggle  against 
the  monopoly  of  the  Imperial  posts  developed.  The  States  were 
jealous  of  the  growing  power  of  Austria,  and  political  affinities  were 
weakening.  There  was,  moreover,  some  feeling  against  such  an 
office  being  held  by  an  alien  family.7  The  Palatinate,  Wiirtemberg, 
Saxony,  Brandenburg,  and  Mecklenburg  established  posts  within 
their  respective  territories.^     The  whole  question  became  involved 

very  beginning  a  character  of  public  utility  and  political  economy,  for  it  was 
at  the  disposal  of  anybody  wanting  a  rapid,  cheap,  and  safe  means  of  con- 
veyance for  his  letters." — Dr.  Joseph  Riibsam,  ibid.,  p.  128. 

»  Ibid.,  p.  ]30. 

'  Von  Beust,  cited  H.  von  Stephan,  op.  cit.,  p.  6. 

3  B.  E.  Crole,  Geschichte  der  deutsclien  Post,  Eisenach,  1889,  p.  201 ;  H.  von 
Stephan,  Geschichte  der  preussischen  Post,  Berlin,  1869,  pp.  6-10. 

*>  Proclamation  of  6th  November  1597;  B.  E.  Crole,  op.  cit.,  p.  205. 

5  An  account  of  the  struggles  between  the  Taxis  family  and  the  princes  is 
given  in  Crole's  Geschichte  der  deutsclien  Post  (Part  III,  chaps,  iv,  and  v.). 

^  "  Trotz  der  Ausdehnung  der  Taxis'sche  Posten  im  '  Keich '  horte  das 
Botenwesen  in  den  einzelnen  Landern  und  in  den  Reichsstadten  keineswegs  auf 
sondern  entwickelte  sich  fort  und  fort  und  hatte  seine  Botenmeister,  auch 
Postmeister  und  andere  Bedienstete." — B.  E.  Crole,  op.  cit.,  p.  213. 

7  Ibid.,  p.  231. 

*  E.  Gallois,  La  Poste  ei  les  Moyens  de  Communication  des  Peujples  d  travers 
les  Siicles,  Paris,  1894,  p.  94. 


APPENDIXES  353 

with  the  disputes  which  led  up  to  the  Thirty  Years'  War,  and  the 
princes  found  their  position  indirectly  strengthened  by  the  Peace 
of  Westphalia,  which  contained  no  settlement  of  the  disputes 
regarding  the  posts,  but  merely  referred  the  question  to  the  next 
Reichstag.  Attempts  were  made  to  extend  the  Imperial  posts,  but 
much  opposition  was  encountered.  Nevertheless,  the  system  con- 
tinued to  expand  and  attained  considerable  dimensions.  The  family 
held  the  exclusive  right  of  carrying  passengers  as  well  as  letters  ; 
and  it  was  estimated  that  during  the  eighteenth  century  the  house 
of  Thurn  and  Taxis  received  a  gross  sum  of  20,000  livres  per  day, 
and  a  net  profit  of  four  millions  a  year.  Some  20,000  men,  and  a 
greater  number  of  horses,  were  employed  in  the  service.^ 

The  Revolutionary  Wars  were  disastrous  to  the  system.  The 
Taxis  posts  were  in  many  instances  replaced  by  territorial  posts,^ 
and  by  the  Peace  of  Luneville  (1801),  which  made  the  Rhine  the 
boundary  between  France  and  Germany,  the  family  lost  control 
of  all  their  posts  to  the  west  of  the  Rhine.  They  were,  however, 
compensated  for  the  loss  of  the  revenues  of  those  posts  by  a  grant 
of  territory  (Reichs-Deputationshauptschluss  of  25  February  1803). 

In  the  following  years  the  Prince  of  Taxis  strengthened  his 
position  by  a  series  of  agreements  with  the  German  States,  but 
with  the  establishment  in  1806  of  the  Confederation  of  the  Rhine 
and  the  abdication  of  the  Emperor,  the  Holy  Roman  Empire  and 
the  Imperial  posts  fell  together.  In  1814  Prince  Charles  Anselm 
of  Thurn  and  Taxis  attempted  unsuccessfully  to  regain  possession 
of  the  posts  in  the  Low  Countries.  The  territorial  posts  were  not, 
however,  altogether  satisfactory,  and  the  rights  of  the  Taxis  family 
were  restored  by  the  Agreement  of  1815,  establishing  the  German 
Confederation ;  in  pursuance  of  which  the  family  recovered  the 
posts  in  Electoral  Hesse  in  1816,  in  Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, 
Oldenburg,  and  Saxe-Coburg  in  1817,  Hesse-Darmstadt  in  1818,  and 
Wiirtemberg  in  1819.  The  posts  in  other  States  were  recovered 
in  subsequent  years,  and  in  1848  the  Taxis  posts  comprised  an 
area  of  2,675  square  (German)  miles,  with  a  yearly  income  of  a 
million  Marks.3  In  most  cases  a  rent  was  paid  to  the  State  for  the 
privilege  of  conducting  the  posts.     Thus,  Wiirtemberg  received  a 

»  B.  E.  Crole,  op.  cit.,  p.  247. 

»  The  territory  of  the  Taxis  posts  shrank  between  the  years  1790  and  1811 
from  3,922  square  (German)  miles  to  746  square  (German)  miles,  and  a  number 
of  territorial  posts  took  the  place  of  the  Imperial  posts.  In  1810  there  were  no 
less  than  43  of  these  territorial  posts. — Die  Brieftaxe  in  Deutschland,  Freiburg 
im  Breisgau,  1862,  p.  4  ;  C.  F.  Muller,  Die  FUrstlich  Thvm  tmd  Taxis'schen 
Posten  und  Posttaxen,  Jena,  1846,  p.  7. 

3  Oskar  Grosse,  Die  Beseitigung  des  Thurn  und  Taxis'sehen  Postwesens  in 
DeutschUmd,  Mindeu  in  Weetf.,  1898,  p.  33. 

24: 


354 


RATES   OF   POSTAGE 


yearly  payment  of  70,000  florins,  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Hesse  of 
25,000  florins,  and  Electoral  Hesse  of  40,000  thalers.^  In  addition, 
the  Governments  of  the  respective  States  were  given  considerable 
privileges  in  regard  to  free  transmission  of  State  correspondence, 
etc.  The  rates  of  postage"  charged  compared  favourably  with  those 
charged  in  the  States  in  which  territorial  posts  were  established.* 
In  1850  the  rates  were  simplified  by  the  introduction  of  a  scale 
based  on  three  distance  zones :  not  exceeding  15  miles,  4  kr. 
(1  sgr.)  ;  from  15  to  30  miles,  7  kr.  (2  sgr.) ;  and  for  distances 
exceeding  30  miles,  10  kr.  (3  sgr.).  In  1861  these  rates  were 
reduced  to  3,  6,  and  9  kr.  respectively  for  the  three  zones. 3 
In  addition  there  was  a  local  rate  of  2  kr.  (^  sgr.)  for  letters  delivered 
within  a  distance  of  3  miles.  In  some  of  the  towns  a  still  lower 
local  rate,  1  kr.  (J  sgr.)  was  in  operation.4 

The  Taxis  posts  were,  however,  still  regarded  with  a  good  deal 
of  jealousy,  although  it  was  recognized  that  in  some  ways  the 
system  was  advantageous  in  providing  a  unified  postal  service  for 
a  large  part  of  Germany  at  a  time  when  it  would  have  been  difficult 
to  arrange  directly  between  the  various  States  for  the  maintenance 
of  a  common  service. 

The  situation  was  materially  changed  when,  after  the  events  of 
1864-6,    Prussia    absorbed    the    duchies    of   the    Elbe,    Hanover, 


*  C.  F.  Miiller,  op.  cit.,  p.  13. 

""  The  rates  for  a  letter  weighing  1  loth  (J  ounce)  were  :- 


Distance 

(German 

Miles). 

In  Wtirtemborg 

In  Prussia 

(Taxis  Posts). 

(State  Post). 

1-3 

2  kr.  =               6f  pf. 

2J  sgr.*      IJ  sgr.  f 

3-6 

3  kr.  =             lOf  pf. 

3    sgr.        2Jsgr. 

6-12 

4  kr.  =  1  sgr.    If  pf. 

4J  sgr.        3    sgr. 

12-18 

6  kr.  =  1  sgr.    8|  pf. 

6    sgr.        3|sgr. 

18-24 

8  kr.  =  2  sgr.    3f  pf. 

7i  sgr.        4J  sgr. 

24-30 

10  kr.  =  2  sgr.  lOf  pf. 

7J  sgr.        4^  sgr. 

30-36 

12  kr.  =  3  sgr.    5^  pf . 

9    sgr.        6    sgr. 

36-42 

14  kr.  =  4  sgr.      — 

lOJsgr.        6    sgr. 

42-48 

16  kr.  =  4  sgr.    6f  pf. 

10^  sgr.        6    sgr. 

48-54 

18  kr.  =  5  sgr.    If  pf. 

12    sgr.        7Jsgr. 

54-60 

20  kr.  =  5  sgr.    ^  pf. 

12    sgr.        7i  sgr. 

*  Rates  established  18th  December  1824. 

t  Rates  established  1st  October  1844,— Ibid.,  pp.  9  and  39. 

3  K.  A.  H.  Schmid,  Zur  Oeschichte  der  Briefporto  Reform  in  Deutschland, 
Jena,  1864,  p.  36. 

♦  Oskar  Grosse,  Die  Beseitigung  des  Thurn  und  Taxis'schen  Postwesans  in 
Deutschland,  pp.  98-9. 


APPENDIXES  355 

Electoral  Hesse,  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Hesse,  Nassau  and  Frankfort. 
Prussia,  of  course,  desired  to  assume  control  of  the  posts  in  these 
territories,  which  formed  a  large  part  of  the  whole  Taxis  system. 
After  some  discussion  of  the  rights  of  the  Taxis  family,  as  a  result 
of  which  it  appeared  that  legally  the  system  was  well  grounded, 
and  could  not  be  taken,  therefore,  from  the  Taxis  family  without 
compensation,  the  Prussian  Government  decided  to  buy  up  the 
rights  of  the  family  in  the  new  Prussian  territory.^  The  taking 
over  of  these  posts  would  have  left  so  small  a  system  in  the 
hands  of  the  Taxis  family  that  they  preferred  to  negotiate  for  the 
transfer  of  the  whole  system  to  Prussia.  The  compensation  to  be 
paid  was  based  mainly  on  consideration  of  the  net  revenue  of  the 
Taxis  posts. 

During  the  years  1855-65  this  had  been  as  follows  : — 

Florins. 

1855-6  405,582 

1856-7  579,218 

1857-8  692,884 

1858-9  500,412 

1859-60         638,801 

1860-1  648,519 

1861-2  464,751 

1862-3  683,409 

1863-4  753,917 

1864-5  724,405 ' 

The  amount  of  compensation  was  agreed  at  three  million  Marks. 
The  sum  was  voted  by  the  Prussian  Parliament  without  debate,  and 
on  the  1st  July  1867  Prussia  assumed  the  control  of  the  entire 
Taxis  system  of  posts.  The  administration  was  amalgamated  with 
that  of  the  ordinary  Prussian  posts. 


IV.    PARCEL  POST  IN   CANADA 

Difficulties  arising  from  the  circumstances  of  the  country  made 
the  early  establishment  of  a  parcel  post  system  impracticable.3 

For  many  years,  however,  a  strong  feeling  in  favour  of  a  parcel 
post  system  existed,  especially  among  the  farmers  of  the  West ; 
and  with  the  establishment  of  a  service  in  the  United  States  in  1913 
it  became  impossible  to  withhold  a  similar  service  from  Canada. 
The  question  was  discussed  in  Parliament  in  January  1913,  and, 
as  the  immediate  adoption  of  a  system  was  obviously  desired,  the 

•  Ibid.,  p.  47.  '  Ibid.,  p.  66. 

3  The  conditions  were  in  many  respects  similar  to  those  obtaining  in  the 
United  States.     Vide  supra,  p.  191. 


356  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

Government  undertook  to  give  the  matter  fullest  consideration,  with 
the  view  of  submitting  a  scheme  at  an  early  date.  The  matter  was 
really  of  some  urgency  since,  under  an  existing  Convention,  although 
no  internal  parcel  post  service  was  in  operation,  Canada  was  called 
upon  to  carry  throughout  her  territory  parcels  originating  in  the 
United  States ;  and  in  June  1913,  when  the  success  of  the  service 
in  the  United  States  was  seen  to  be  assured,  a  Bill  was  introduced 
authorizing  the  establishment  of  a  parcel  post  in  Canada. 

There  could  be  no  question  of  applying  a  flat  rate  in  a  country 
of  such  vast  territories  and  scattered  population  ;  ^  and  the  Canadian 
system,  like  the  American,  is  based  on  zones  of  distance.  The 
limits  of  the  zones  correspond  with  the  provincial  boundaries. 
Each  province  forms  a  zone,  with  a  flat  rate  within  its  borders; 
a  rate  as  for  an  additional  zone  is  charged  on  parcels  crossing 
into  an  adjoining  province ;  and  a  rate  as  for  a  third  zone  on 
parcels  crossing  an  intermediate  province  to  a  third  province ;  and 
so  on.  The  three  maritime  provinces  are  grouped  together  as  one 
zone,  and  a  special  local  zone  rate  is  given  for  parcels  delivered 
within  20  miles  of  the  place  of  posting.  This  local  rate  is  in- 
dependent of  the  provincial  boundaries.  It  is  a  concession  to 
the  storekeepers  of  the  smaller  towns,  given  chiefly  for  their  pro- 
tection against  the  competition  of  the  great  departmental  stores  of 
Montreal,  Toronto,  and  Winnipeg. 

The  determination  of  the  actual  amount  of  the  rates  was  left  to 
the  Post  Office  department,  with  the  proviso  that  they  must  be  such 
as  would  make  the  service  self-supporting. 

The  service  was  introduced  in  April  1914,  with  the  following  rates 
of  charge : — 

(a)  Five  cents  for  the  first  pound  and  1  cent  for  each  additional  pound  or 
fraction  thereof,  up  to  four  pounds,  and  2  cents  for  each  subsequent  pound  up 
to  eleven  pounds  within  a  radius  of  20  miles  from  the  place  of  mailing,  irre- 
spective of  provincial  boundaries. 

(6)  Ten  cents  for  the  first  pound  and  4  cents  for  each  subsequent  pound  or 
fraction  thereof,  for  all  points  in  the  province  in  which  a  parcel  is  posted,  outside 
of  the  20-mile  radius. 

(c)  Ten  cents  for  the  first  pound  and  6  cents  for  each  additional  pound  or 
fraction  thereof,  for  all  points  outside  the  province  in  which  a  parcel  is  posted, 
and  beyond  the  20-mile  radius,  with  an  additional  charge  of  2  cents  a  pound 


»  "In  England  you  have  thickly  congested  rural  districts,  large  towns  every 
few  miles,  and  tremendous  cities :  in  Canada  you  have  a  population  of  less  than 
8,000,000  spread  over  a  vast  area,  with  few  cities  or  large  towns,  and  with  vast 
spaces  that  must  be  traversed  where  no  population  exists.  .  .  .  We  are  giving, 
as  compared  with  England,  a  flat  rate  in  an  area  twice  as  great  as  Britain  gives 
parcel  post,  and  where  all  the  conditions  are  much  less  favourable." — Hon.  L. 
Pelletier,  Pari,  Debates,  Canada  {Commons),  4th  June  1913. 


APPENDIXES  357 

for  each  province  that  has  to  bo  crossed  to  the  destination  of  the  parcel,  not 
including  the  province  in  which  it  is  to  be  delivered,  up  to  a  Tna-gimnm  of  12  cents 
a  pound.' 

An  additional  charge  to  meet  the  extra  cost  of  transportation  is 
made  on  parcels  addressed  to  or  posted  at  offices  in  certain  outlying 
districts  when  the  parcels  have  to  be  conveyed  on  stage  routes  over 
100  miles  in  length. 

Statistics  of  the  number  of  parcels  dealt  v^ith  are  not  taken  by  the 
Canada  Post  OflBce. 

V.   THE   SUPPLEMENTAL  SERVICES 

In  connection  with  the  transmission  of  postal  packets,  other  services, 
which  are  supplemental,  and  in  some  cases  complementary,  have 
been  added,  e.g.  registration  and  insurance,  in  order  that  senders 
may  protect  themselves  against  loss  or  damage  of  packets  in  the 
post.2  Closely  allied  to  the  transmission  of  ordinary  letters  is  the 
transmission  of  money  from  place  to  place,  and  from  early  times 
the  Post  Office  has  also  undertaken  this  function  for  appropriate 
fees.  This  is  the  money  order  and  postal  order  business.  These 
services  apply  only  to  a  very  small  proportion  of  the  total  number 
of  packets  posted,  and  may  in  general  be  regarded  as  exceptional. 3 

In  addition  to  these  supplemental  functions,  the  Post  Office  has 
usually  been  called  upon  to  undertake  services  which  have  little  or 
no  relation  to  the  transmission  of  letters  from  place  to  place.  Thus, 
the  British  Post  Office  conducts  a  Savings  Bank,  undertakes  the 
issue  of  certain  local  taxation  licences  (gun  and  dog  licences,  etc.) 
on  behalf  of  the  Inland  Revenue  Department  and  local  authorities, 
pays  Old  Age  Pensions,  sells  stamps  on  behalf  of  the  National 
Health  and  Unemployment  Insurance  Commissioners,  exhibits 
certain  Government  notices  in  the  windows  of  post  offices,  and,  in 
general,  stands  ready  to  perform  any  service  to  which,  by  reason  of 
its  ramifications  reaching  to  the  remotest  part  of  the  kingdom,  it 
may  be  specially  well  adapted.-*  In  many  countries  the  Post  Office 
has  assumed  the  control  of  the  telegraph  or  telephone  systems,  or 

»  Canada  Official  Postal  Guide,  1917,  pp.  27-8. 

=  Such  improvements  as  the  introduction  of  letter-cards,  reply-paid  postcards, 
etc.,  afford  conveniences  to  the  public,  but  they  have  little  bearing  on  general 
questions  of  rates  of  charge.  The  number  of  such  articles  passing  by  post  is 
insignificant  in  comparison  with  the  total  postal  traffic. 

3  Thus,  in  the  United  Kingdom,  the  number  of  letters  registered  in  1913-14 
was  -68  per  cent,  of  the  total  number  posted.  The  tooal  cost  of  the  supple- 
mental services,  including  registration,  insurance,  and  express  delivery,  was  in 
1913-14  only  about  a  million,  out  of  a  total  cost  for  all  postal  services  of 
over  £17,000,000  {Annual  Report  of  the  Postmaster-General,  1913-14,  p.  92). 

<  ♦'  In  the  present  century  the  Post  Office  has  q.ssumcd  three  new  function^ — 


358  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

both— this,  of  course,  largely  in  consideration  of  the  close  affinity 
between  the  essential  character  of  those  services — transmission 
from  place  to  place  of  information  and  intelligence — and  the 
primary  function  of  the  Post  Office ;  and  in  consideration  of  the 
tendency  of  those  services,  like  the  letter  service,  to  develop  on 
monopolistic  lines.  ^  In  continental  countries  the  Government 
control  of  the  telegraphs  has  been  regarded  as  a  military  necessity.^ 
The  assumption  of  these  functions  has  no  necessary  relation  to  the 
rates  charged  for  the  transmission  of  packets,  but  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  services  are  conducted,  whether  at  a  profit  or  at 
a  loss,  may  indirectly  affect  the  rates. 

VI.   POST   OFFICE   REVENUE 

In  England,  Germany,  and  France  the  Post  Office  has,  almost  from 
the  first,  been  a  source  of  revenue  to  the  State.  What  has  happened 
has  been  that  since  the  reform  the  Governments  have  been  glad 
to  take  whatever  net  revenue  a  penny  rate  would  yield,  but, 
in  general,  they  have  not  been  prepared  to  raise  that  rate  in 
order  to   obtain   a  greater  revenue.3     The    only   one   of    the    five 

the  transmission  of  money,  and  telegrams,  and  the  custody  of  savings.  These 
are  alike  only  in  requiring  a  widespread  system  of  branch  offices." — A.  M. 
Ogilvie's  article  on  "  The  Post  Office  "  in  R.  H.  Inglis  Palgrave's  Diet.  Political 
Economy,  London,  1899,  vol.  iii.  p.  175. 

*'  The  so-called  *  Post  Office  '  is  in  fact  a  collection  of  different,  though  con- 
nected, industries."— 0.  F.  Bastable,  Public  Finance,  London,  1903,  p.  206. 

^  See  H.  R.  Meyer,  Public  Ownership  and  the  Telephone  in  Great  Britain, 
New  York,  1907. 

=  "  To-day,  State  ownership  is  the  general  rule  over  Europe,  and  only  in  America 
is  there  private  ownership  on  a  large  scale.  It  is  significant  that  the  first 
seizure  of  this  monopoly  of  the  State  was  in  France,  on  the  simple  ground  that 
it  was  not  safe  to  allow  so  important  a  device  to  be  in  other  than  the  hands  of 
the  State.  In  1837  a  law  was  passed  making  every  kind  of  telegraph  a  State 
monopoly.  This  was  due  to  Napoleonic  influence.  It  was  not  until  1870  that 
the  British  Government  claimed  the  monopoly." — John  Lee,  Economics  of 
Telegraphs  and  Telephones,  London,  1913,  p.  2. 

3  "  No  man  can  feel  a  more  intimate  conviction  than  I  do  that,  whatever  our 
financial  difficulties  may  be,  we  must  not  take  measures  to  meet  them  which 
should  bear  upon  the  comforts  of  the  labouring  classes.  .  .  .  Well,  then,  I  must, 
with  my  sense  of  public  duty,  abandon  the  idea  of  raising  a  revenue  from  the 
Post  Office."— Sir  R.  Peel,  11th  March  1842,  Pari.  Debates  (Commons),  vol.  Ixi. 
col.  434. 

"  If,  therefore,  it  should  also  happen  that  it  (the  penny)  is  the  best  rate 
adapted  ultimately  to  produce  the  largest  amount  of  money  profit,  such  a 
coincidence  would  be  the  result  of  accident,  not  of  design." — Report  from  Select 
Committee  on  Postage,  1843  ;  evidence  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill,  Answer  74. 

"  The  Post  Office,  and,  since  the  fall  in  silver,  the  Mint,  both  produce  in 
England  £|,  net  revenue,  but  the  yield  of  revenue  ought  to  be  Qonsidered  as  purely 


APPENDIXES  359 

countries  which  does  not  make,  and  on  principle  does  not  wish 
to  make,  a  revenue  out  of  the  Post  Office  is  the  United  States 
of  America. 

The  penny  letter  rate  is  not  by  any  moans  as  low  as  the  cost 
of  the  service.  It  is,  however,  not  a  burdensome  charge  in  any 
circumstances,  and,  although  so  much  greater  than  the  cost,  repre- 
sents in  a  large  number  of  instances  much  less  than  the  full 
measure  of  benefit  which  the  provision  of  the  service  confers 
on  the  beneficiary.  This  is,  of  course,  the  ordinary  case  of  the 
purchaser  of  a  commodity  securing  a  "  consumer's  surplus."  ^ 
Bates  which  yield  a  profit  of  50  per  cent.  (pp.  76  and  311) 
must,  however,  be  admitted  to  contain  some  element  of  taxation. 
In  France  particularly  the  Post  Office  occupies  a  definite  place 
in  the  fiscal  system. *  There  is,  however,  considerable  diversity 
of  opinion  among  economists  with  regard  to  the  theoretical 
character  of  this  revenue.  Indeed,  the  general  classification  of 
public  revenues  is  itself  not  yet  agreed  upon.3     Under  any  classifi- 

incidental    if    not  accidental." — J.   Shield  Nicholson,   Principles  of  Political 
Economy,  London,  1901,  vol.  iii.  p.  372. 

As  a  war  measure  the  United  Kingdom  has  now  increased  the  rate  on  letters 
over  one  ounce  in  weight.  Such  letters  are,  however,  only  a  small  proportion 
of  the  total  number  of  letters  posted  {vide  supra,  p.  33).  Canada  has  imposed  a 
war  tax  of  one  cent  on  all  letters,  and  on  postcards  (swj(>ra,  p.  57). 

'  Vide  Alfred  Marshall,  Principles  of  Economics,  London,  1907,  vol.  i.  p.  124. 

"  If  I  put  a  letter  in  the  pillar-box  rather  than  walk  half  a  mile  to  deliver  it 
by  hand,  it  is  clear  that  I  value  the  service  at  one  penny  at  least,  and  if  its  true 
value  is  to  be  taken  at  less  than  a  penny,  it  must  be  assumed  that  some  one 
would  have  carried  the  letter  for  less  than  a  penny  if  the  Post  Ofl&ce  monopoly 
had  been  absent.  But  to  deal  thoroughly  with  this  question  it  would  be 
necessary  to  enter  on  a  discussion  of  the  Austrian  theory  of  value  and  Marshall's 
conception  of  *  consumer's  rent.'  " — E.  Cannan  {Memoranda  on  Classification 
and  Incidence,  p.  163). 

»  •♦  Notre  syst^me  fiscal  demande  aux  imp6ts  indirects  la  plus  grande  partie 
de  nos  recettes  budg^taires.  Les  allumettes  sont  lourdement  tax(5es.  Ecrire  une 
lettre  est,  malgr6  tout,  moins  indispensable  ^  I'homme  qu'allumer  du  feu. 
Tant  que  les  objets  de  premiere  n^cessite  sont  frappes,  il  n'y  a  pas  raison 
decisive  pour  refuser  de  laisser  pr^lever  sur  les  correspondances  de  toutes  sortes 
un  impot  indirect,  qui  apparait,  dans  les  ^critures  budg^taires,  commo  un 
excedent  de  recettes  des  Postes,  T^l^graphes,  et  T^l^phones  sur  leurs  d^penses. 

"  Si  legitimes  que  soient  en  principe  les  b^n^fices  de  I'Etat-postier,  tenons  pour 
certain  que  le  public,  k  moins  de  quelque  catastrophe  impr^vue,  ne  permettra 
pas  de  les  accroitre  beaucoup,  et  que  les  Ministres  de  Finances  de  demain  auront 
beaucoup  de  peine  k  conserver  le  pen  qui  leur  en  reste." — Rapport  portant 
fixation  du  Budget  general,  Chambre  des  D^put^s,  Session  1909,  No.  2767. 

3  *♦  The  widest  division  of  public  revenue  is  into  (1)  that  obtained  by  the  State 
in  its  various  functions  as  a  great  corporation  or  'juristic  person,' operating 
under  the  ordinary  conditions  that  govern  individuals  or  private  companies,  and 
(2)  that  taken  from  the  revenues  of  the  society  by  the  power  of  the  sovereign." — 

,  F,  Bastable,  Public  Finance,  London,  1903,  p.  158.     Cf.  C.  C.  Plehn,  Intro- 


360  BATES  OF  POSTAGE 

cation  there  is  difficulty  in  assigning  a  place  for  the  Post  Office 
revenue.  With  the  simplest  and  most  fundamental  division  it  has 
been  regarded  as  falling  under  one  or  other  heading,  according  to 
the  notion  of  the  writer,  or  in  accordance  with  certain  changes 
of  conception  based  on  variations  in  attendant  circumstances.^ 

The  difficulty  of  classification  arises  from  the  fact  that  of  the  total 
amount  of  the  postage  charges  actually  levied,  only  a  portion  can 
in  any  case  be  regarded  as  taxation.  A  person  who  purchases  a 
commodity  from  the  State,  but  in  purchasing  it  is  charged  some- 
thing more  than  its  actual  value,  is  not  taxed  to  the  extent  of  the 
whole  of  the  amount  which  he  is  charged.  There  can  be  no  taxation 
in  that  part  of  the  amount  for  which  he  receives  equivalent  value  in 
the  commodity  purchased.  It  is  easy  to  say  of  the  gross  postal 
revenue  that  so  much  is  tax  (i.e.  the  net  revenue),  and  so  much  is 
cost  of  service  (i.e.  the  actual  expenses),  though  it  may  not  be  easy 
to  justify  even  this  distinction ;  =  but  what  principle  is  to  be  followed 
in  determining  whether  a  particular  postage  charge  (e.g.  the  letter 
rate  or  the  parcel  rate),  or  any  part  of  it,  is  taxation  ? 

Taxes  are  reckoned  according  to  the  rate  of  charge.  Thus,  the 
income  tax  is  2s.  3d.  in  the  pound  on  earned  incomes ;  but 
approached  in  this  way  postage  is  not  a  tax.  If  the  charge  only 
covers  the  cost  of  the  service,  there  can  be  no  tax.3    And  when  there 

duction  to  Public  Finance^  New  York,  1909,  p.  79;  E.  R.  A.  Seligman,  Essays  in 
Taxation,  New  York,  1913,  p.  400,  et  seq. ;  see  also  Bastable,  op.  cit.,  p.  156. 

'  E.g.  "  The  common  mode  of  levying  a  tax  on  the  conveyance  of  letters  is 
by  making  the  Government  the  sole  authorized  carrier  of  them,  and  demanding 
a  monopoly  price.  When  this  price  is  so  moderate  as  it  is  in  this  country  under 
the  uniform  penny  postage,  scarcely  if  at  all  exceeding  what  would  be  charged 
under  the  freest  competition  by  any  private  company,  it  can  hardly  be  con- 
sidered as  taxation,  but  rather  as  the  profits  of  a  business  ;  whatever  excess  there 
is  above  the  ordinary  profits  of  stock  being  a  fair  result  of  the  saving  of  expense, 
caused  by  having  only  one  establishment  and  one  set  of  arrangements  for  the 
whole  country,  instead  of  many  competing  ones." — J.  S.  Mill,  Principles  of 
Political  Economy,  London,  1871,  vol.  ii.  p.  461. 

^  Vide  note  2,  opposite. 

3  **  Wherever  the  benefit  to  the  individual  can  be  even  approximately 
estimated  there  is  a  strong  presumption  in  favour  of  levying  the  cost  incurred 
from  him  and  converting  the  tax  into  a  'fee.'" — C.  F.  Bastable,  op.  cit., 
p.  267. 

"  To  be  properly  remunerative  to  the  State,  as  to  a  private  individual,  the  price 
at  which  a  commodity  is  sold  must  be  sufficient  to  pay  interest  on  the  capital 
invested  in  the  business,  that  is  to  say,  to  pay  for  the  use  of  the  property  which 
must  be  used  in  producing  the  commodity,  as  well  as  to  pay  the  more  immediate 
cost  of  its  production  in  wages  and  materials.  There  is  no  ground  at  all  for  the 
theory  sometimes  put  forward  that  the  State  should  deliberately  abstain  from 
making  a  profit  from  the  working  of  an  institution  like  the  Post  Office.  Tax- 
payers are  indeed  nearly  all  users  of  the  Post  Office,  and  users  of  the  Post  Office 
are  nearly  all  taxpayers,  but  there  is  nothing  to  show  that  people  are  taxed  in  the 


APPENDIXES  361 

is  a  surplus  (above  normal  commercial  profit)  it  cannot  be  argued 
that  the  whole  charge  becomes  a  tax.  The  solution  seems  to  be  that 
in  such  a  case  it  is  neither  tax  nor  industrial  price.  It  contains 
elements  of  both,  and  cannot  be  classed  wholly  under  either.^ 

The  differing  analyses  of  Post  Office  revenue  result  largely  from 
their  being  based  on  consideration  of  the  balance-sheet  of  the  Post 
Office,  as  indicating  whether  postal  charges  are  to  be  regarded  as 
taxes.2     The  character  of  postal   charges  should  not,  however,  be 

same  proportion  as  thoy  use  the  Post  Office — the  largest  taxpayers  are  not  neces- 
sarily the  largest  users  of  the  Post  Office.  Consequently  it  is  not  a  matter  of 
complete  indifference  whether  the  State,  which  in  this  case  means  the  taxpayers, 
makes  a  profit  on  the  business  or  not.  The  only  question  difficult  to  decide  is 
how  much  interest  on  the  capital  invested  the  State  ought  to  obtain,  in  order  to 
make  the  business  remunerative  but  not  a  source  of  taxation.  When  the  State 
has  no  monopoly,  or  only  a  monopoly  secured  by  driving  out  all  competitors  in 
fair  commercial  rivalry  (if  such  a  case  has  over  occurred),  it  may  charge  what  it 
can  get  for  the  commodity  sold  without  making  the  business  a  source  of  taxation. 
But  when  the  State  has  conferred  on  itself  a  monopoly  of  a  business,  it  is  evident 
that  to  charge  the  price  which  would  bring  in  the  largest  profit  would  often  be 
simply  equivalent  to  laying  a  tax  on  the  commodity.  In  this  case,  the  price 
charged  should  only  be  such  as  would  produce  a  rate  of  interest  which  would 
satisfy  private  individuals  or  joint-stock  companies,  supposing  there  were  no 
monopoly.  The  rate  of  interest  should  be  reckoned  in  relation  to  the  actual 
market  value  of  the  property  used,  not  in  relation  to  what  it  may  have  originally 
cost  the  State.  When  the  State  makes  a  bad  investment  the  loss  should  be 
written  off  once  for  all  as  soon  as  it  is  discovered.  If,  for  instance,  a  State  has 
bought  telegraph  apparatus  for  far  more  than  it  is  worth,  there  can  be  no  reason 
why  the  senders  of  telegrams,  and  not  the  whole  body  of  taxpayers,  should  pay 
for  the  mistake." — Edwin  Cann?-"  ^^ementary  Political  Economy^  London,  1903, 
pp.  130-1. 

The  cost  which  ought  in  strictness  to  be  taken  is  the  cost  of  the  most 
economical  private  commercial  undertaking  which  would  provide  an  equal 
service  if  the  monopoly  of  the  Post  Office  were  withdrawn : — 

**  I  do  not  regard  the  greater  part  of  the  Post  Office  revenue  as  a  tax  at 
all.  If  all  of  it  were  earned  by  doing  for  the  public  on  a  large  scale  work 
that  no  private  company  could  do  as  cheaply,  because  it  would  have  to  do  it 
on  a  small  scale,  then  I  should  say  that  none  of  the  Post  Office  revenue 
was  a  tax.  That  part,  however,  of  its  revenue  which  it  gets  by  prohibiting 
others  from  performing  services  for  the  public  is  a  tax." — Alfred  Marshall, 
The  Times,  6th  April  1891. 

'  The  terms  "Mixed  Taxes"  and  ♦' Quasi-Taxes "  have  been  applied  to 
charges  of  this  character.  "Mixed  Taxes,  or  Quasi-Taxes,  naturally  arise 
when  a  governing  body  makes  demands  for  payments,  and  gives  something 
in  return,  but  without  any  pretence  of  equivalence  between  individual  pay- 
ments and  individual  returns." — R.  Jones,  The  Nature  and  First  Principle  of 
Taxation,  London,  1914,  p.  7. 

»  E.g.  "Many  definitions  of  the  word  'tax*  have  been  proposed,  but  I 
know  of  none  which  would  include  just  so  much  of  the  Post  Office  revenue 
as  happens  to  be  in  excess  of  the  amount  expended  in  the  year  and  no  more. 

"  I  believe  that  the  desire  to  reckon  this  amount  and  no  more  as  a  tax, 
arises  from  a  somewhat  dim  impression  that  it  is  the  sum  which  the  State 


362  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

determined  by  reference  solely  to  the  amount  of  the  surplus 
revenue.  The  true  classification  rests  on  the  conception  that  the 
character  of  public  revenue  (including  Post  Office  revenue)  varies 
with  varying  circumstances.^ 

The  penny  letter  rate  is  a  source  of  very  considerable  profit,  and  is 
therefore  not  a  pure  price.  Nor  can  it  be  said  that  this  penny  rate, 
although  it  is  the  source  of  practically  all  the  profit,  is  a  pure  tax. 
In  the  case  of  a  large  number  of  letters  there  is  no  surplus  beyond 
the  cost  of  the  service,  and  often  the  cost  is  greater  than  the  yield 
of  the  postage  on  the  particular  letters  dealt  with.  In  such  cases 
the  rate  does  not  contain  any  element  of  tax.  In  other  cases  the 
proportion  of  surplus  over  cost  which  the  rate  yields  is  exceedingly 
large.^     But  in  all  cases  it  contains  some  element  of  remuneration 

exacts  in  excess  of  what  a  private  company,  without  any  legal  or  natural 
monopoly,  would  have  to  be  satisfied  with  for  performing  the  same  services. 
But  it  is  not.  In  the  first  place,  such  a  private  company  would  expect  and 
receive  about  3  per  cent,  on  its  capital  in  addition  to  the  mere  working  expenses. 
We  do  not  know  what  the  capital  of  the  Post  Office  is,  but  it  must  be  very 
great,  seeing  that  all  the  more  important  offices  are  owned  in  fee  simple. 
Secondly,  a  company  would  raise  new  capital  for  new  buildings  and  the 
purchase  of  more  land,  instead  of  defraying  the]  expense  as  if  it  were  current 
working  expenditure.  Thirdly,  a  company  would  not  '  encourage  thrift ' 
by  giving  away  upwards  of  £700,000  a  year  to  the  depositors  in  the  savings 
bank,  by  paying  2J  per  cent.  Fourthly,  in  all  sorts  of  ways  the  Post  Office 
is  not  conducted  as  a  commercial  enterprise  would  be.  For  example,  it 
spends  more  than  a  company  would  do  in  the  less  profitable  districts. 

'*  The  only  argument  I  know  of  in  favour  of  treating  the  so-called  '  net 
revenue  '  alone  as  a  tax,  thus  breaks  down.  If  any  part  of  the  gross  revenue 
is  a  tax,  the  whole  must  be." — E.  Gannan  {Memoranda  on  Classification  and 
Incidence,  p.  163). 

^  "  The  payment  for  the  same  service  may  be  a  price  in  one  State,  a  fee 
in  a  second,  or  a  tax  in  a  third.  .  .  .  The  controlling  consideration  in  the 
classification  of  public  revenues  is  not  so  much  the  conditions  attending  the 
action  of  government  or  the  kinds  of  businesses  conducted  by  the  government, 
as  the  economic  relations  existing  between  the  individual  and  the  govern- 
ment."— B.  E,.  A.  Seligman,  Essays  in  Taxation,  p.  423. 

^  This  has  been  held  a  justification  for  regarding  the  letter  rate  as  a  whole  as 
a  pure  tax : — 

"  A  special  service  is  no  doubt  rendered  to  each  contributor  of  the  tax,  as  well 
as  a  general  service  to  the  whole  community,  by  means  of  the  facilities  of 
communication  always  available ;  but  the  charge  is  what  is  technically  known 
as  a  tax,  and  the  fact  that  a  particular,  as  well  as  a  general,  service  is  rendered, 
does  not  alter  the  tax  nature  of  the  charge.  Apart  from  the  theory  it  has  also 
to  be  considered  that  the  productive  portion  of  the  Post  Office  revenue  is  derived 
from  charges  where  the  cost  is  very  little — from  letters,  for  instance,  in  the 
metropolitan  district,  or  in  and  between  great  centres  of  population,  where  the 
cost  of  conveyance  and  delivery  does  not  exceed,  probably,  one-tenth  of  a  penny 
per  letter,  and  the  surplus  of  nine-tenths  is  spent  on  other  services  of  the  Post 
Office  on  which  there  is  a  deficit." — Sir  Robert  Giffen,  K.G.B.  {Memoranda  on 
Classification  and  Incidence,  p.  94). 


APPENDIXES  363 

for  service  rendered.  That  part  of  it  which  is  appropriated  to  cover 
the  cost  of  conducting  the  service  is  of  the  nature  of  a  price  for  a 
service  rendered.  The  remaining  part  (when  found),  after  allowance 
has  been  made  for  the  element  of  monopoly,  is  a  tax.^  But  it  does 
not  exist  in  all  cases.  Three  categories  of  letters  are  therefore 
found;  and  the  letter  rate  in  general  may,  according  to  the 
circumstances  under  which  the  service  is  rendered,  be  (1)  of 
composite  character,  partly  price  and  partly  tax,  (2)  a  pure  price, 
(3)  a  mere  fee. 

The  other  rates  (excepting  for  the  moment  the  parcel  rate) 
have  all  for  some  specific  purpose  of  State  been  fixed  at  a  lower 
level  than  the  letter  rate  ;  but,  for  the  most  part,  without  any  nice 
adjustment  to  the  cost  of  service.  Consequently  these  subsidiary 
rates  are  not  prices,  and  do  not  contain  any  element  of  taxation. ^ 
They  are,  however,  charges  made  to  individuals  in  respect  of  certain 
services  performed  by  the  State,  and  fall,  therefore,  under  the 
heading  of  fees. 

The  parcel  rates  in  England  and  Germany  may  be  put  under 
the  same  heading.  In  both  cases  the  service  is  conducted  at  a 
loss,  and  the  charges  cannot  therefore  be  regarded  as  prices.     In 

The  argument  is  that  in  large  towns  the  cost  of  the  service  is  infinitesimal, 
and  the  charge  is  therefore  tax.     Obviously  this  has  no  application  to  country 
services. 
'     Plehn  does  not  take  this  view  : — 

"  Postal  surplus  not  the  result  of  taxation. 

"  There  are  some  writers  who  regard  any  surplus  acquired  in  this  way  as 
practically  the  result  of  taxation,  and  class  any  charge  for  the  public  service, 
above  the  cost  thereof,  as  a  special  tax.  This  classification  presupposes  that  the 
service  is,  by  nature,  of  a  public  character,  an  assumption  contrary  to  the  fact, 
for  no  function  except  that  of  governing  itself,  in  the  narrowest  possible  sense, 
is  bij  nature  of  a  public  character,  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  by  nature  of  a  private 
character.  On  this  consideration,  therefore,  it  is  better  to  class  these  gains,  not 
as  taxes,  but  as  the  earnings  of  a  public  industry." — C.  G.  Plehn,  Introduction  to 
Public  Finance,  p.  358. 

^  "  On  the  purely  financial  side  the  gain  from  the  service  must  generally  be  a 
small  one ;  the  return  for  capital  employed  is  little,  and  the  only  remaining 
element  would  be  the  economy  that  results  from  the  application  of  monopoly,  and 
the  consequent  unity  of  the  service.  Any  further  charge  is  really  a  form  of 
taxation." — C.  F.  Bastable,  Public  Finance,  London,  1903,  p.  209. 

' '  When  we  come  to  look  more  closely  into  the  essential  character  of  this 
*  public  utility '  in  respect  of  its  economic  and  financial  value,  it  will  appear 
that  in  this  case  an  important  administrative  function  has  attached  to  it,  as  it 
were  involuntarily,  an  effective  contrivance  for  the  levying  of  a  tax,  such  as  to 
require  that  the  Post  Office  be  taken  up  in  connection  with  the  theory  of 
taxation." — G.  Gohn,  Science  of  Finance,  translated  by  T.  B.  Veblen,  Chicago, 
1895,  p.  126. 

"  The  rates  for  postcards,  printed  matter,  and  samples  roughly  correspond 
with  the  cost  of  service  and  are  perhaps  to  some  extent  prices. 


364  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

the  United  States  and  in  Canada  the  law  provides  that  the  rates 
for  parcels  must  in  all  cases  be  such  as  to  yield  a  revenue 
sufi5cient  to  cover  the  cost  of  the  service,  and  the  presumption 
is  therefore  that  in  those  countries  the  rates  will  partake  of  the 
nature  of  prices.^ 

Although  there  has  been  diversity  of  opinion  regarding  the  nature 
of  Post  Office  revenue,  there  has  been  remarkable  unanimity  as 
to  the  propriety  of  raising  a  net  revenue  for  the  State  on  the 
service  for  the  transmission  of  letters.  In  the  days  of  high  rates 
and  relatively  high  revenue  it  was  not  challenged.=^     Sir  Eowland 

*  The  suggested  classification,  if  satisfactory  from  the  speculative  point  of 
view,  does,  however,  give  rise  to  practical  difficulties.  In  public  financial 
statements  it  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  show  the  actual  nature  of  the  revenue 
on  such  a  basis.  The  only  practicable  course  is  to  classify  as  a  whole  the  gross 
revenue  and  the  net  revenue  for  the  entire  service.  There  is  difference  of 
opinion  even  as  to  this  apparently  simple  problem.  The  common-sense  solution 
would  seem  to  be  that  recommended  by  Sir  Edward  Hamilton,  viz.  to  reckon 
the  net  revenue  as  a  tax  and  the  balance  of  gross  revenue  as  payment  for 
services  rendered ;  although  in  view  of  the  complications  resulting  from  the 
existence  of  unremunerative  services,  and  the  failure  to  make  proper  allowance 
in  respect  of  the  capital  employed  in  the  service,  such  a  course  is  unscientific 
and  misleading. 

' '  The  whole  of  the  receipts  from  the  various  sources  administered  by  the 
Post  Office  has  always  been  treated  in  our  Public  Accounts  as  *  Non-Tax 
Revenue.'  It  is  all  carried  to  the  Exchequer  ;  and  the  whole  cost  is  annually 
provided  by  Parliament.  Therefore,  to  omit  altogether  this  public  receipt  from 
a  classification  of  taxes  would  seem  to  be  the  natural  course  to  take.  But  the 
charge  which  is  made  for  the  carriage  of  letters,  telegrams,  and  parcels,  so  far  as 
the  Post  Office  services  are  a  State  monopoly,  is  unquestionably  *  an  obligatory 
contribution  by  persons  in  respect  of  or  incidental  to  something  which  they  do.' 
Accordingly,  to  take  no  account  of  this  charge,  which  nobody  can  avoid,  would 
be  to  omit  something  which  falls  within  our  definition  of  a  tax.  At  the  same 
time  it  is  obvious  that  to  treat  the  whole  of  the  Post  Office  revenue  as  a  tax 
would  for  present  purposes  be  misleading,  inasmuch  as  the  amount  actually 
expended  by  the  State  represents  direct  and  immediate  service  rendered  to  those 
who  write  letters  or  send  telegrams.  Regard  being  had  to  these  considerations, 
when  balanced  one  with  another,  it  appears  to  me  that  the  least  incorrect  course 
to  adopt  is  to  treat  as  a  tax  the  amount  by  which  the  revenue  derived  from 
Post  Office  services  exceeds  the  cost  of  administering  those  services." — Sir  E.  W. 
Hamilton,  K.C.B.  {Memoranda  on  Classification  and  Incidence^  p.  36). 

See  also  p.  361,  n.  2,  supra. 

^  "  There  cannot  be  devised  a  more  eligible  method  than  this  of  raising  money 
upon  the  subject;  for  therein  both  the  Government  and  the  people  find  a 
mutual  benefit.  The  Government  acquires  a  large  revenue,  and  the  people  do 
their  business  with  greater  ease,  expedition,  and  cheapness  than  they  would 
be  able  to  do  if  no  such  tax  (and  of  course  no  such  oflSce)  existed." — Sir 
William  Blackstone,  Commentaries  on  the  Laws  of  England,  London,  1783,  vol.  i. 
p.  324. 

"Nor,  while  the  rates  of  postage  are  confined  within  due  limits,  or  not  carried 
so  high  as  to  form  any  serious  obstacle  to  correspondence,  is  there,  perhaps, 
a  more  unobjectionable  tax." — J.  R.  McOulloch,  Taxation  and  Funding,  p.  320. 


APPENDIXES  365 

Hill's  reform  took  away  any  sort  of  feeling  that  the  revenue  obtained 
from  the  Post  Office  lay  as  a  burdensome  tax,  but  the  amount  of 
surplus  revenue  was  still  so  considerable  that  it  could  fairly  be 
regarded  as  containing  an  element  of  tax.^  It  has,  moreover, 
steadily  increased,  and  its  existence  been  made  the  justification  for 
claims  for  further  reductions  of  rate.^' 

The  use  of  the  Post  Office  for  the  purpose  of  taxation,  that  is, 
the  refusal  to  give  away  in  improvements  of  service,  or  by 
reduction  of  rates,  the  net  surplus  of  revenue,  is  accepted  by 
economists  as  justifiable,3  and    the    public  acquiesces.      The  sur. 

•  "  The  Post  Office  in  reality  is  neither  a  commercial  nor  a  philanthropic 
establishment,  but  simply  one  of  the  revenue  departments  of  the  Government. 
It  very  rightly  insists  that  no  country  post  office  shall  be  established  unless  the 
correspondence  passing  through  it  shall  warrant  the  increased  expense,  and  it 
maintains  a  tariff  which  has  no  accordance  whatever  with  the  cost  of  con- 
veyance. Books,  newspapers,  and  even  unsealed  manuscripts,  can  be  sent  up  to 
the  weight  of  4  ounces  for  a  penny ;  whereas  if  a  sealed  letter  in  the  least 
exceeds  ^  ounce  it  is  charged  2d.  It  is  obvious  that  the  charges  of  the  Post 
Office  are  for  the  most  part  a  purely  arbitrary  system  of  taxes,  designed  to 
maintain  the  large  net  revenue  of  the  Post  Office,  now  (1867)  amounting  to  a 
million  and  a  half  sterling. 

'•  It  will  thus  be  apparent  that  Sir  Kowland  Hill's  scheme  of  postal  tariff 
consisted  in  substituting  one  arbitrary  system  of  charges  for  a  system  more 
arbitrary  and  onerous." — W.  S.  Jevons,  Methods  of  Social  Reform,  London,  1883, 
p.  280. 

^  "  Will  it  pay  ? 

"  I  will  here  lay  down  what  may  seem  to  financiers  in  this  House  a  somewhat 
startling  position.  I  hold  that  the  State  has  no  right  to  make  a  profit  out  of  the 
Post  Office.  (Cheers.)  .  .  .  Probably  half  the  letters  sent  are  business  letters  ; 
and  another  very  large  share  is  sent  by  persons  of  small  means  who  have  many 
stern  inducements  to  take  care  of  their  pence.  In  other  words,  one  half  of  your 
postal  revenue  is  derived  from  a  tax  on  the  machinery  of  trade,  and  another 
large  share  from  the  poorest  class  of  citizens. 

'•This  is  practically  a  tax  on  commerce." — Sir  J.  Henniker  Heaton,  Pari. 
Debates  {Commons),  30th  March  1886. 

3  "  Regarded  as  a  tax  diffused  over  the  whole  community,  it  is  on  the  whole 
defensible,  though  the  tendency  to  insist  that  the  postal  profits  shall  be  devoted 
to  improving  the  service  is  already  becoming  more  pronounced." — C.  F.  Bastable, 
op.  cit.,  p.  575. 

"The  Post  Office,  therefore,  is  at  present  one  of  the  best  sources  from  which 
this  country  derives  its  revenue.  But  a  postage  much  exceeding  what  would 
be  paid  for  the  same  service  in  a  system  of  freedom  is  not  a  desirable  tax.  Its 
chief  weight  falls  on  letters  of  business,  and  increases  the  expense  of  mercantile 
relations  between  distant  places.  It  is  like  an  attempt  to  raise  a  large  revenue 
by  heavy  tolls  :  it  obstructs  all  operations  by  which  goods  are  conveyed  from 
place  to  place,  and  discourages  the  production  of  commodities  in  one  place  for 
consumption  in  another ;  which  is  not  only  in  itself  one  of  the  greatest  sources 
of  economy  of  labour,  but  is  a  necessary  condition  of  almost  all  improvements 
in  production  and  one  of  the  strongest  stimulants  to  industry  and  promoters  of 


366  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

plus  is  obtained  with  the  minimum  of  sacrifice  on  the  part  of 
those  who  pay,  and  it  would  be  difificult  to  discover  a  tax  in  sub- 
stitution which  would  fall  as  lightly.  Apart  from  the  fact  that 
rates  higher  than  would  be  necessary  for  defraying  the  actual 
cost  of  the  service  must  of  necessity  operate  to  some  extent  to  the 
disadvantage  of  trade  and  commerce,^  there  is  little  to  urge  against 
the  raising  of  revenue  from  the  Post  Office,  especially  as  it  is 
obtained  from  such  popular  charges  as  a  penny  and  a  halfpenny, 
which  are  well  within  the  reach  of  the  poorest.  Payment  is, 
moreover,  in  a  large  degree  voluntary.  The  number  of  letters 
which  a  private  individual  must  write,  and  cannot  avoid  writing, 
in  the  course  of  a  year  is  very  small.  If  he  has  anything  of 
importance  to  write,  he  does  not  think  a  penny  an  excessive  sum 
to  pay  for  its  transmission.  If  he  has  nothing  to  write,  there  is  no 
law  to  compel  him  to  pay  postage.  The  profits  of  postage  are, 
however,  large ;  and  the  existence  of  the  State  monopoly,  and  the 
essentially  fiscal  character  of  the  rates  charged,  should  not  be 
overlooked.  2 

civilization." — J.  S.  Mill,  Principles  of  Political  Economy,  London,  1871,  vol.  ii. 
p.  462. 

"  It  may  happen  (quite  acceptably)  that  a  surplus  comes  in  from  an  under- 
taking which  is  primarily  carried  on  for  administrative  purposes  alone.  A 
striking  instance  of  this  is  afforded  by  the  letter  post.  If  the  administrative 
purpose  in  question  admitted  of  no  aim  beyond  the  covering  of  its  own  expenses, 
such  a  surplus  would  have  no  meaning,  or  at  any  rate  no  other  meaning  than 
that  of  a  surplus  in  the  hands  of  a  consumers'  club,  which  is  returned  to  the 
members,  on  the  closing  of  the  accounts  for  the  year,  in  the  proportion  in  which 
they  have  contributed  to  it.  The  fact  that  the  postal  service  not  only  retains 
any  such  surplus  but  even  (with  due  regard  to  its  primarily  administrative 
function)  consciously  seeks  it,  is  to  be  explained  on  the  ground  that,  without 
hindrance  to  the  administrative  function,  the  difierent  abilities  of  the  citizens 
to  contribute  to  public  purposes  may  be  drawn  on  by  this  means,  with  desirable 
results  which  are  not  attainable  in  any  other  way." — G.  Cohn,  op.  cit.,  p.  94. 
Cf.  The  Development  of  the  Post  Office,  Fabian  Kesearch  Department,  London, 
1916,  pp.  43-7. 

*  The  extent  to  which  any  such  disadvantage  may  be  experienced  is,  of 
course,  largely  minimized  by  the  existence  of  a  low  rate  containing  no  element 
of  tax,  (see  supra  Chapter  IV)  for  most  of  the  formal  documents  of  commerce. 

"^  "  It  is  wholly  misleading  to  point  to  the  fact  that  the  business  of  the  Post 
Office  now  yields  a  very  considerable  profit,  and  to  suggest  that  increased 
remuneration  can  easily  be  provided  from  that  source.  That  profit  is  not  in  a 
bag  to  be  drawn  upon  at  will.  It  goes  into  the  National  Exchequer,  and  forms 
part  of  the  revenue  of  the  country,  and  if  two  or  three  millions  is  taken  from  it, 
the  deficit  in  the  Exchequer  must  be  made  good  in  other  ways.  And  it  has 
never  been  admitted,  nor  can  it  now  be  admitted,  that  the  profits  of  the  Post 
OflSioe  belong  in  equity  to  the  stafi  rather  than  to  the  taxpayer.  The  Post  Office 
is  not  like  a  private  business.  Parliament  has  established  a  monopoly,  and  has 
jBxed  certain  rates  of  postage.     If  Parliament  chose  to  relax  that  monopoly,  or 


APPENDIXES  367 

to  reduce  those  rates  of  postage,  the  profit  would  straightway  disappear.  It 
does  not  do  so,  because  it  desires  to  retain  for  the  Exchequer  the  sums  so 
brought. 

"  Parliament  has  also  established  the  sixpenny  telegram,  extended  the  tele- 
graph service  into  remote  rural  districts,  and  has  given  very  cheap  rates  to  the 
Press.  This  has  resulted  in  the  telegraphs  being  worked  at  a  loss  of  over  a 
million  a  year.  No  one  would  suggest  that  it  would  be  just,  because  of  this 
loss,  to  reduce  the  wages  of  the  men  and  women  employed  in  the  telegraph 
service,  and  it  is  equally  beside  the  mark  to  quote  the  profits  on  the  postal  side 
as  though  the  pay  of  the  staff  should  be  determined  by  their  amount." — The 
Right  Hon.  Herbert  Samuel,  British  Postmaster  General,  to  a  deputation  from 
the  staff,  19th  November  1913. 


368 


RATES    OF  POSTAGE 


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APPENDIXES 


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APPENDIX    B 

DOCUMENTS   AND   EXTRACTS   ILLUSTRATING 
ASPECTS   OF   POSTAL   HISTORY 

(i)  Ancient  Posts. 
Persia  [circa  B.C.  500). 

"  In  Darius's  idea  of  government  was  included  rapidity  of  com- 
munication. Eegarding  it  as  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
the  orders  of  the  Court  should  be  speedily  transmitted  to  the 
provincial  Governors,  and  that  their  reports  and  those  of  the 
royal  secretaries  should  be  received  without  needless  delay,  he 
established  along  the  lines  of  route  already  existing  between  the 
chief  cities  of  the  Empire,  a  number  of  post-houses,  placed  at 
regular  intervals,  according  to  the  estimated  capacity  of  a  horse 
to  gallop  at  his  best  speed  without  stopping.  At  each  post-house 
were  maintained,  at  the  cost  of  the  State,  a  number  of  couriers 
and  several  relays  of  horses.  When  a  despatch  was  to  be 
forwarded,  it  was  taken  to  the  first  post-house  along  the  route, 
where  a  courier  received  it,  and  immediately  mounting  on  horse- 
back, galloped  with  it  to  the  next  station.  Here  it  was  delivered 
to  a  new  courier,  who,  mounted  on  a  fresh  horse,  took  it  the  next 
stage  on  its  journey ;  and  thus  it  passed  from  hand  to  hand  till  it 
reached  its  destination.  According  to  Xenophon,  the  messengers 
travelled  by  night  as  well  as  by  day ;  and  the  conveyance  was  so 
rapid  that  some  even  compared  it  to  the  flight  of  birds.  Excellent 
inns  or  caravanserais  were  to  be  found  at  every  station  ;  bridges  or 
ferries  were  established  upon  all  the  streams ;  guard-houses  occurred 
here  and  there,  and  the  whole  route  was  kept  secure  from  the 
brigands  who  infested  the  Empire.  Ordinary  travellers  were  glad 
to  pursue  so  convenient  a  line  of  march ;  it  does  not  appear, 
however,  that  they  could  obtain  the  use  of  post-horses,  even  when 
the  Government  was  in  no  need  of  them. 

'*  Note. — It  was  not   the   distance   a   horse   ridden  gently  could 

374 


APPENDIXES  375 

accomplish  in  the  entire  day,  but  the  distance  he  could  bear  to  be 
galloped  once  a  day.  From  the  account  which  Herodotus  gives 
of  the  post-route  between  Sardis  and  Susa,  we  may  gather  that 
the  Persians  fixed  this  distance  at  about  fourteen  miles." — George 
Eawlinson,  The  Five  Great  Monarchies  of  the  Ancient  Eastern 
World,  London,  1871,  vol.  iii.  pp.  426-7. 


Boman  Empire. 

"The  advantage  of  receiving  the  earliest  intelligence,  and  of 
conveying  their  orders  with  celerity,  induced  the  Emperors  to 
establish  throughout  their  extensive  dominions  the  regular  institu- 
tion of  posts.  Houses  were  everywhere  erected  at  the  distance 
only  of  five  or  six  miles  ;  each  of  them  was  constantly  provided 
with  forty  horses,  and,  by  the  help  of  these  relays,  it  was  easy  to 
travel  an  hundred  miles  in  a  day  along  the  Koman  roads.  The 
use  of  the  posts  was  allowed  to  those  who  claimed  it  by  an 
Imperial  mandate ;  but  though  originally  intended  for  the  public 
service,  it  was  sometimes  indulged  to  the  business  or  conveniency 
of  private  citizens  (Pliny,  though  a  favourite  and  a  minister,  made 
an  apology  for  granting  post-horses  to  his  wife  on  the  most  urgent 
business)." — Edward  Gibbon,  The  History  of  the  Decline  and  Fall 
of  the  Roman  Empire,  London,  ed.  1896,  vol.  i.  p.  50. 


Arabia. 

"  The  first  traces  of  the  Arabian  postal  arrangements  date  from 
about  fifty  years  after  the  death  of  Mahomed.  Calif  Mdowija,  who 
died  in  679,  is  regarded  as  the  founder  of  the  Arabian  posts. 
Kodama,  a  native  of  Bagdad,  who  died  in  959,  gives  an  account  of 
the  service  in  his  work  called  The  Book  of  Taxes.  There  were 
930  postal  stations  on  the  six  great  highroads  starting  from 
Bagdad.  At  some  stations  there  were  relays  of  horses,  but  in 
Syria  and  Arabia  the  messengers  rode  on  camels ;  and  in  Persia 
the  letters  were  conveyed  from  station  to  station  by  messengers 
on  foot.  The  postal  service  under  the  Califs  was  an  independent 
branch  of  the  administration,  and  in  addition  to  the  conveyance 
of  despatches  and  travellers  was  added  the  supervision  of  all  the 
authorities  in  outlying  possessions.  Of  the  two  classes  of  superior 
postal  officers,  the  nowaqquium  was  the  postmaster  who  received 
the  postal  packets  and  letters  and  attended  to  their  conveyance, 
whereas  the  farwaneqqyun  was  a  kind  of  chief  postmaster  at  the 
capital  of  a  province,  who  controlled  the  work  of  the  postmasters 
and  made  his  own  report  on  all  the  civil  and  military  authorities  to 


376  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

the  central  office  in  Bagdad.  These  reports  were  so  valuable  that 
Calif  Abu  Djafar  Manssur  is  credited  with  the  statement:  'My 
throne  rests  on  four  pillars,  and  my  power  on  four  men — a  blame- 
less kazi  (judge),  an  energetic  chief  of  police,  an  honest  minister  of 
finance,  and  a  faithful  postmaster  who  gives  me  reliable  information 
on  everything.'  It  has  been  said  that  the  Eoman  cursus  publicus, 
the  frumentarii,  the  agentes  in  rebus,  and  the  curiosi  served  a 
similar  purpose,  but  the  Arabian  arrangement  was  more  systematic. 
In  the  Post  Office  of  the  Califs  the  letters  and  packets  posted,  as 
well  as  those  received  from  other  places,  were  entered  in  special 
lists,  where  their  number  and  address  had  to  be  stated.  This  prac- 
tice was  observed  in  India  till  a  few  years  ago,  and  it  will  thus 
be  seen  that  the  letter  bill  of  the  modern  posts  was  in  use  already 
among  the  Egyptians  in  270  B.C.,  and  also  among  the  Arabs.  From 
the  information  that  has  been  preserved,  it  is  inferred  that  the 
Arabian  posts  did,  to  a  certain  extent,  transmit  private  letters,  but 
this  was  not  done  officially,  and  the  couriers  and  postmasters 
conveyed  such  correspondence,  along  with  the  official  despatches, 
on  their  own  account." — I.  G.  J.  Hamilton,  Outline  of  Postal 
History,  Calcutta,  1910,  p.  4. 


Mexico. 

"  Communication  was  maintained  with  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
country  by  means  of  couriers.  Post-houses  were  established  on 
the  great  roads,  about  two  leagues  distant  from  each  other.  The 
courier,  bearing  his  despatches  in  the  form  of  a  hieroglyphical 
painting,  ran  with  them  to  the  first  station,  where  they  were  taken 
by  another  messenger  and  carried  forward  to  the  next ;  and  so  on 
till  they  reached  the  capital.  These  couriers,  trained  from  child- 
hood, travelled  with  incredible  swiftness — not  four  or  five  leagues 
an  hour,  as  an  old  chronicler  would  make  us  believe,  but  with  such 
speed  that  despatches  were  carried  from  one  to  two  hundred  miles 
a  day.  Fresh  fish  was  frequently  served  at  Montezuma's  table  in 
twenty-four  hours  from  the  time  it  had  been  taken  in  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  two  hundred  miles  from  the  capital.  In  this  way  intelH- 
gence  of  the  movements  of  the  royal  armies  was  rapidly  brought 
to  Court ;  and  the  dress  of  the  courier,  denoting  by  its  colour  the 
nature  of  his  tidings,  spread  joy  or  consternation  in  the  towns 
through  which  he  passed."— W.  H.  Prescott,  History  of  the  Con- 
quest of  Mexico,  London,  1903,  pp.  20,  21. 

A  similar  system  existed  in  Peru  (W.  H.  Prescott,  History  of  tJie 
Conquest  of  Peru,  Philadelphia,  1874,  vol.  i.  p.  69). 


APPENDIXES  377 


China. 


"  From  the  city  of  Kanbulu  ^  there  are  many  roads  leading  to  the 
different  provinces,  and  upon  each  of  these,  that  is  to  say,  upon 
every  great  highroad,  at  the  distance  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles, 
accordingly  as  the  towns  happen  to  be  situated,  there  are  stations, 
with  houses  of  accommodation  for  travellers,  called  yainb  or  post- 
houses.  These  are  large  and  handsome  buildings,  having  several 
well-furnished  apartments  hung  with  silk,  and  provided  with  every- 
thing suitable  to  persons  of  rank.  Even  kings  may  be  lodged  at 
these  stations  in  a  becoming  manner,  as  every  article  required  may 
be  obtained  from  the  towns  and  strong  places  in  the  vicinity ;  and 
for  some  of  them  the  Court  makes  regular  provision.  At  each  station 
four  hundred  good  horses  are  kept  in  constant  readiness,  in  order 
that  all  messengers  going  and  coming  upon  the  business  of  the 
grand  khan,  and  all  ambassadors,  may  have  relays,  and,  leaving 
their  jaded  horses,  be  supplied  with  fresh  ones.  .  .  .  When  it  is 
necessary  that  messengers  should  proceed  with  extraordinary 
despatch,  as  in  the  cases  of  giving  information  of  disturbance  in 
any  part  of  the  country,  the  rebellion  of  a  chief  or  other  important 
matter,  they  ride  two  hundred,  or  sometimes  two  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  in  the  course  of  a  day." — Travels  of  Marco  Polo  the 
Venetian,  London,  1904,  pp.  190  et  seq. 


(ii)  Nunc  1 1  and  Cursores. 

•'  The  Royal  Nuncii  et  Cursores  constituted  a  very  important 
branch  of  the  Royal  Establishment,  and  the  payments  to  them  form 
a  very  large  and  important  item  in  the  Household  and  Wardrobe 
Accounts  from  the  earliest  period  when  those  accounts  exist. 

*'  These  Messengers  were  employed  both  in  England  and  in 
foreign  parts,  and  as  well  on  affairs  of  State  as  what  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  private  and  confidential  business  of  the  Crown  and 
Royal  Family  and  the  individuals  attached  to  or  composing  the 
Royal  Court.  These  Messengers,  so  attached  to  the  Court,  became 
the  foundation  of  the  establishment,  which  about  the  time  of 
Henry  VIII,  or  somewhat  earlier,  assumed  the  form  of  the  regular 
establishment  of  the  Post ;  and  the  information  connected  with 
them  is  important,  as  showing  that  the  institution  was  intimately 
connected  with  the  person  of  the  sovereign,  and  that,  in  the  first 
instance,  it  was  his  convenience  that  was  sought.  Those  servants 
who,  by  usage,  were  more  particularly  employed  on  State  affairs, 
probably  became  those  who  are  now  specially  termed  the  '  Queen's 

•  Pekin. 


378  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

Messengers.'  " — Beport  from   Secret  Committee   on  the   Post  Office 
(Commons),  1844,  Appx.,  p.  21. 

(iii)  WiTHERiNGs'  Scheme  for  the  Reform  of  the 
Posts,  1635. 

A  Proposition  for  setling  of  Staffets  or  pacquet  posts  betwixt 
London  and  all  parts  of  his  Maiesties  dominions,  for  the  carry- 
ing and  recarrying  of  his  subiects  Ires.  The  cleere  proffitt 
whereof  to  goe  towards  the  payment  of  the  Postm"  of  y®  Roades 
of  England,  for  w^*"  his  Ma*'®  is  now  chardged  w*^  3400/.  p  ailm. 

In  the  first  place,  a  certen  office  or  compting  house  to  be  by  his 
Ma**®  appointed  w*Mn  the  cittie  of  London,  of  pm-pose  for  carrying 
out  &  receiving  in  of  all  Lfes  to  be  conveyed  from  y®  cittie  of  London 
into  all  p*"  w*^in  his  Ma*^  dominions  &  answers  thereof  retorned  to 
the  said  Cittie  of  London,  according  as  occasion  shall  serve. 

Inprimis,  for  the  Northerne  and  Scotland  roade.  All  lfes  to  be 
put  into  one  Portmantle  that  shalbe  directed  to  Edenburgh  in 
Scotland,  and  for  all  places  of  the  s^  roade,  or  neere  the  s^  roade,  to 
be  accordinglie  put  into  y®  s^  Portmantle,  w*^  pticuler  baggs  directed 
to  such  Postm"  as  live  upon  the  Road  neere  unto  any  Cittie  or 
Towne  Corporate. 

As  for  Example — 

One  Bagge  to  be  directed  to  Cambridge  w*^  such  lfes  therein  as 
shalbe  directed  to  that  place  or  neere  thereunto ;  to  take  port  for 
them  as  is  now  p3  to  the  Carriers,  w°^  is  Two  pence  a  single  Ire,  and 
so  accordinglie  as  they  shalbe  in  bignes.  At  Cambridge  a  footpost 
to  be  provided,  w*^  a  knowne  badge  of  his  Ma*°  Armes,  whome  upon 
the  markett  dales  is  to  goe  to  all  Townes  w'^'in  6  :  8 :  or  10  miles, 
there  to  receive  &  deliver  all  such  lies  as  shalbe  directed  to  those 
places.  The  lfes  that  the  s*  footpost  shall  then  and  there  receive, 
hee  is  to  bring  them  to  the  s**  Towne  of  Cambridge  before  the 
retorne  of  the  Portmantle  out  of  Scotland,  w^^  is  to  retorne  at  a 
certen  dale  &  houre,  by  w°^  meanes  they  male  be  upon  the  verie 
instante  comeing  back  of  the  s**  Portmantle,  as  before,  put  into  a 
little  bagge,  w*^^  s^  bagg  is  to  be  put  into  y®  q^  Portmantle  as  aforesaid. 
It  is  alwaies  to  be  understood  that  upon  the  verie  instant  cominge 
of  the  Portmantle  to  Cambridge,  the  bagg  of  lfes  for  that  place  & 
thereaboutes  ymmediatly  to  be  tooke  out  of  the  s^  Portmantle ;  the 
said  Portmantle  being  presentlie  to  goe  forwards,  night  and  day, 
w^^'out  stay,  to  Huntingdon,  w*^  fresh  horse  &  man.  At  w*'^  place 
the  like  rule  is  to  be  observed  as  before  at  Cambridge,  &  so  the  s* 


APPENDIXES  379 

Portmantle  is  to  goe  from  Stage  to  Stage,  night  &  day,  till  it  shall 
come  to  Edenburgh.  The  bags  of  Ires  to  be  left  at  all  Stages  as  at 
Cambridge  and  Huntingdon,  as  before. 

Only  it  is  to  be  understood,  that  the  further  the  Ires  shall  goe,  the 
port  thereof  is  to  be  advanced,  as  to  S**,  4**,  &  6**,  &  to  Scotland  more. 
By  this  way  of  carrying  and  recarrying  of  Ires,  His  Ma*"  subjects 
shall,  once  in  6  dales,  receive  answer  from  Edenburgh  in  Scotland, 
and  so  consequently  from  all  p'"  betwixt  London  &  Scotland. 

The  dale  and  howre  of  the  comeing  and  going  of  the  s*^  Portmantle 
to  and  from  London  to  be  alwaies  certaine.  By  w°^  meanes  all 
Stages  upon  the  Eoad  will  knowe  at  what  certen  howre  the  Port- 
mantle is  to  come  to  y*  place. 

It  is  truth  it  male  be  alledged,  that  some  Citties  &  Townes  of  noate 
will  lye  so  farre  from  any  of  the  mayne  Koads  of  England,  as  Hull 
&  other  Townes  of  noate  upon  the  Sea  coasts,  as  that  it  wilbe 
impossible  for  a  footman  to  carry  and  recarry  the  s*  Ires  w^'in  such 
time  as  shalbe  limitted  :  for  remedie  thereof  a  horse  is  to  be  pro- 
vided for  the  s*  footpost,  for  the  execucon  of  the  s*  service  w***  more 
expedicon. 

The  like  rule  is  to  be  observed  to  Westchester  &  so  to  Ireland. 
The   Hke   rule   is   to   be   observed   to  Oxford,   Bristoll,   &  so   to 
Ireland. 

The  like  rule  is  to  be  observed  to  Worcester,  Shrewesbury,  and  so 
to  y*  Marches  of  Wales. 

The  like  rule  to  be  observed  to  Exceter,  &  so  to  Plymouth. 
The  like  rule  to  be  observed  to  Canterbury,  &  so  to  Dovo'. 
The  like  rule  to  be  observed  to  Chelmesford,  Colchester,  and  so  to 
Harw*^^- 

The  like  rule  to  be  observed  to  Newmarket,  Bury,  Norw***,  and  so 
to  Yarmouth. 

In  the  first  place,  it  wilbe  a  great  furtherance  to  the  corre- 
spondency betwixt  London  &  Scotland,  &  London  &  Ireland,  and 
great  help  to  Trades,  &  true  afifeccbn  of  his  Ma'"  subiects  betwixt 
theis  kingdomes,  which,  for  want  of  true  correspondency  of  Ires,  is 
now  destroyed,  &  a  thing  above  all  things  observed  by  all  other 
nations. 

As  for  Example — 

If  anie  of  his  M*'"  subiects  shall  write  to  Madrill,  in  Spain,  hee 
shall  receive  answer  sooner  &  surer  then  hee  shall  out  of  Scotland 
or  Ireland.  The  Ires  being  now  carried  by  carriers  or  footposts 
16  or  18  miles  a  day,  it  is  full  two  monthes  before  any  answer  can 
be  received  from  Scotland  or  Ireland  to  London,  w*'**  by  this  Con- 
veyance all  Ires  shall  goo  120  miles  at  y®  least  in  one  day  &  night. 


380  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

It  will  Secondlie  be  alledged,  that  it  is  a  wrong  to  the  Carriers 
that  bring  the  said  letters.  To  which  is  answered,  a  Carrier  setts 
out  from  Westchester  to  London  on  the  Mundaie,  w"^  is  120  miles. 
The  s*  Carrier  is  8  dales  upon  the  Eoad,  and  upon  his  cominge  to 
London  delivers  his  letters  of  advise  for  his  relodinge  to  West- 
chester againe,  and  his  forced  to  stale  in  London  two  dales  at 
extraordinary  charges  before  he  can  get  his  loding  redy. 

By  this  Conveyance  Ires  wilbe  fro  Westchester  to  London  in  one 
day  &  night,  so  that  the  s^  Carriers  loading  wilbe  made  ready  a 
weeke  before  the  s^  Carriers  shall  come  to  London,  and  they  no 
sooner  come  to  London  but  male  be  redy  to  depte  againe. 

The  like  will  fall  out  in  all  other  pts. 

Besides,  if  at  any  time  there  should  be  occasion  to  write  from 
anie  of  the  coast  Townes  in  England  or  Scotland  to  London,  by  this 
Conveyance  Ires  wilbe  brought  ymmediatly  :  &  from  all  such  places 
there  wilbe  weekely  advise  to  &  from  London. 

As  for  Example — 

Anie  fight  at  Sea :  any  distress  of  his  Ma*^  shipps,  (w***"  Godd  for- 
bidd),  anie  wrong  offered  by  any  other  nation  to  any  of  y®  Coaste  of 
England,  or  anie  of  his  Ma*^  forts  :  the  Posts  being  punctually  paid, 
the  newes  will  come  sooner  then  thought. 

It  wilbe,  thirdlie,  alledged  that  this  service  male  be  ptended  by  the 
Lo  :  Stanhope  to  be  in  his  graunt  of  Post  M'  of  England.  To  w°**  is 
answered,  neither  the  Lo  :  Stanhope,  nor  anie  other  that  ever  enjoyed 
the  Postm^  place  of  England,  had  any  benefitt  of  the  carrying  and 
recarrying  of  the  subiects  Lfes  :  beside,  the  profitt  is  to  pale  y®  Posts 
of  the  Road,  w°^  next  unto  his  Ma"®,  belong  to  y®  office  of  the  s"*  Lo  : 
Stanhope,  and  upon  determinacTon  of  any  of  the  s^  Posts  places,  by 
death  or  otherwise,  the  Lo :  Stanhope  will  make  as  much  of  them 
as  hath  heretofore  bin  made  by  this  said  advancement  of  all  theire 
places. 

The  Lord  Stanhope  now  enioying  what  either  bee  or  any  of  his 
Predecessor  hath  ever  heretofore  done  to  this  day. 
(Indorsed  by  Sec.  Coke) 

"Proposition  for  Missive  Letters." 
— Beport  from  Secret  Committee  on  the  Post  Office  (Commons),  1844, 
Appx.,  pp.  55-6. 

(iv)  The  Monopoly  and  the  General  Farm  of  the  Posts. 

No.  1. 

"  Whereas  heretofore  sundry  wayes  have  bene  devised  to  redresse 
the  disorders  among  the  postes  of  our  realme  in  generall,  and  par- 


APPENDIXES  381 

ticularly  to  prevent  the  inconveniences,  both  to  our  owne  service  and 
the  lawfull  trade  of  the  honest  merchants,  by  prohibiting  that  no 
persons  whatsoever  should  take  upon  them,  pubhquely  or  privately, 
to  procure,  gather  up,  receive  .  .  .  any  packets  or  letters  to  or 
from  the  countreys  beyond  the  seas,  except  such  our  ordinarie  posts 
and  messengers  for  those  parties,  etc." — Royal  Proclamation, 
April  26th  1591, 


No.  2. 

"  There  has  long  been  a  constant  trade  betwixt  London  and 
Norwich  in  sundry  sorts  of  stuffs  and  stockings  made  in  Norwich 
and  Norfolk,  which  trade  has  always  been  maintained  by  the 
merchants  of  Norwich  employing  their  stocks  in  buying  wares  of 
the  makers  and  sending  them  up  weekly  in  carts  by  common 
carriers  to  London,  whence  they  are  dispersed  into  all  parts  of 
this  kingdom,  and  also  exported  to  foreign  parts,  in  which  intercourse 
of  trade  we  always  had  our  letters  safely  and  speedily  carried  by 
our  common  carrier,  by  a  horseman,  not  in  manner  of  postage  by 
change  of  horses,  but  as  is  usual  by  common  carriers,  and  for  little 
or  no  charge  to  us.  Of  late  Mr.  Witherings  has  intercepted  our 
letters  and  molested  our  carriers,  forbidding  them  to  carry  any  of 
our  letters  otherwise  than  to  go  along  with  their  carts,  and  no 
faster." — Petition  to  Privy  Council,  1638 ;  J.  W.  Hyde,  The  Post  in 
Grant  and  Farm,  London,  1894,  p.  131. 


No.  3. 

" .  .  .  By  a  Proclamation  dated  about  July  1635  his  Majestie  did 
expresse  his  pleasure,  that  Thomas  Witherings  should  have  the 
carriage  of  the  said  letters  who  would  settle  it  in  a  better  and  more 
speedy  course ;  thereupon  he  undertook  the  said  work,  and  for  a 
long  time,  after  his  said  undertaking,  it  cost  him  some  weeks  20Z. 
301.  40Z.  more  than  he  received,  to  the  great  weakening  and  hazard 
of  the  ruine  of  his  estate.  It  is  verie  true,  that  untill  he  had  his 
patent  of  his  Office  granted  unto  him  for  his  Ufe,  which  was  in  the 
yeare  1637,  he  did  in  some  places  lay  horses  of  his  owne,  in  others 
he  did  make  use  of  the  ordinarie  Post-horses,  and  because  he 
desired  quick  dispatch,  hee  paid  them  for  a  guide  and  a  horse  to 
Carrie  the  male  6d.  per  mile,  after  not  conceiving  a  guide  necessarie 
he  made  only  use  of  one  horse,  and  paid  3d.  per  mile.  ...  for  the 
other  Posts,  they  have  3d.  per  mile  which  is  more  than  ordinarie 
pay.  But  the  objection  which  seems  to  carrie  the  greatest  shew, 
pr  Qplouj:  of  probabilitie  with  it  is ;  That  the  P°"'  had  formerly 


382  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

4,000Z.  per  annum  fee,  onely  for  carrying  his  Majesties  packets,  that 
Witherings  hath  reduced  this  to  2,053Z.  per  annum,  and  yet  puts  a 
greater  burthen  upon  them  by  carrying  his  male  ;  hath  displaced 
many  of  them  and  received  4,000Z.  for  Post  places." — Full  and  cleare 
answer  to  a  false  and  scatidalous  Paper  entituled :  The  humble  Bemon- 
s trance  of  the  grievances  of  all  his  Majesties  Posts  of  England, 
together  with  Carriers,  Waggoners,  etc.,  1641,  pp.  2,  3. 


No.  4. 

Eeasons  presented  to  the  Committee  for  Postmasters  why  the 
office  should  not  be  farmed : — 

(1)  What  is  of  public  interest,  if  farmed,  often  becomes  a  great 
public  grievance. 

(2)  The  postmasters  who  have  served  faithfully  and  others  who 
run  best  to  Lynn,  Yarmouth,  etc.,  must  be  restrained  and  will  com- 
plain as  they  did  in  1642  to  the  late  Parliament  which  ordered  them 
redress. 

(3)  By  farming,  the  pay  of  postmasters  will  be  made  so  incon- 
siderable that  they  will  grow  careless. 

(4)  The  expectations  of  the  people  now  at  this  juncture  so  highly 
raised  to  hopes  of  ease  and  freedom,  will  be  disappointed  when  they 
see  new  monopolies. 

Suggestions  for  reducing  the  office  into  one  channel,  for  easing 
the  people,  encouraging  the  postmasters  and  raising  money  for  the 
public : — 

1.  To  declare  it  unsafe  for  private  persons  to  erect  post  stages 
without  licence. 

2.  To  chose  faithful  persons  in  all  the  roads  and  appoint  a  super- 
visor on  each  road. 

3.  To  declare  that  you  have  appointed  them  postmasters  and 
give  power  to  their  controller  only  to  sign  labels  for  speedy  convey- 
ance of  mails  and  give  them  writs  of  assistance. 

Signed  by  Eobert  Girdler  and  seven  others. — Calendar  of  State 
Papers  {Domestic  Series),  26th  November,  1652. 


No.  5. 

Offers  of  the  well-affected  postmasters  to  the  Posts'  Com- 
mittee. .  .  . 

The  order  of  the  Council  in  the  case  of  the  Inland  Post  Office 
being  that  it  be  improved  to  the  greatest  advantage  either  by  farm 
or  account,  they  conceive  the  advantages  consist  not  so  much  in  the 


APPENDIXES  383 

advance  of  money,  as  the  service  and  safety  of  the  State,  and  beg  to 
offer, 

1.  That  persons  of  known  integrity  may  be  employed  in  all  parts, 
and  a  suflQcient  salary  allowed,  as  becomes  a  trust  of  that  great 
concernment. 

2.  That  a  fit  person  be  appointed  for  the  control  thereof,  according 
to  orders  from  the  State,  etc. 

3.  As  righteousness  exalteth  a  nation,  it  is  hoped  that  after  the 
expense  of  so  much  blood  and  treasure,  the  very  things  adjudged 
and  condemned  in  others  (viz.  monopolies)  will  not  now  be  practised, 
but  that  next  to  public  safety,  you  will  be  tender  of  the  people's  just 
liberty ;  for  both  by  the  laws  of  God  and  man  it  is  lawful  for  every 
man  to  employ  himself  in  a  lawful  calling,  especially  in  that  to 
which  he  has  been  bred,  and  it  is  also  lawful  for  divers  men  to 
employ  themselves  in  one  calhng,  otherwise  there  must  be  as  many 
callings  as  men. 

4.  For  avoiding  of  many  inconveniencies  that  will  follow  in  the 
farming  of  it,  viz. 

The  persons  depositing  or  obliging  themselves  for  so  much  money 
a  year,  will  not  lay  out  themselves  and  their  estates  without 
expectation  of  profit,  which  must  arise  either  out  of  the  people's 
letters  or  postmasters'  labour,  besides  the  hazard  to  the  Common- 
wealth ;  for  notwithstanding  the  faithfulness  of  the  postmasters  yet 
if  they  will  not  do  their  work  at  their  rates  (which  may  prove  an 
oppression  too  heavy,  like  that  in  Egypt)  others  shall. — Calendar  of 
State  Papers  (DoTuestic  Series),  May  1653. 

No.  6. 

"  Petition  of  John  Mann,  Mayor,  and  22  aldermen  &  inhabitants 
of  Norwich : — 

*'  Having  much  commerce  with  London  we  have  always  employed 
a  faithful  and  careful  messenger  to  carry  letters,  bills  of  exchange, 
etc.,  but  he  has  lately  been  molested  by  John  Manley  whose  agents 
have  not  only  rifled  and  detained  our  letters  and  goods,  but  charged 
more  than  double  price  for  small  parcels  of  ware,  which  is  a  greater 
burden  to  many  of  us  than  the  monthly  assessment.  .  .  . 

"  Having  bought  our  liberties  at  vast  expense  of  blood  and 
treasure,  we  hope  not  again  to  be  troubled  with  distasteful  mono- 
polies but  to  have  liberty  to  convey  our  letters  freely." — Calendar  of 
State  Papers  {Domestic  Series),  1653-4,  p.  25. 

No.  7. 
"  Also  it  hinders  a  man  to  be  as  civil  as  otherwise  he  would,  or 
might  be,  in  having,  or  returning  an  accompt  to,  or  from  his  friend, 


384  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

many  a  man  in  these  times  being  forced  to  set  a  greater  value  of 
6d.  or  3d.  then  of  three  times  as  much  in  former  times,  when  money- 
was  more  plentiful ;  and  certainly  any  man  but  a  Farmer  wil 
confess  it  to  be  a  strange  imposition,  that  a  man  cannot  have  an 
accompt  of  the  condition  of  his  Wife  or  Family,  without  paying 
thrice  as  much  as  he  need ;  &  it  seems  as  unreasonable  for  a  man 
to  be  forced  to  pay  3d.  for  what  may  be  done  for  a  penny,  (in 
relation  to  Letters)  as  for  a  man  to  be  compelled  to  pay  thrice  as 
much  for  meat  or  any  other  commodity,  as  the  price  currant." — 
J.  Hill,  A  Penny  Post,  London,  1659,  p.  7. 

No.  8. 

1657,  Cap.  30. 

Postage  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland  settled. 

"  Whereas  it  hath  been  found  by  experience,  That  the  Erection 
and  Settling  of  one  General  Post  Office,  for  the  speedy  Conveying, 
Carrying,  and  Ee-carrying  of  Letters  by  Post,  to  and  from  all 
Places  within  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  into  several 
parts  beyond  the  Seas,  hath  been,  and  is  the  best  means,  not  only 
to  maintain  a  certain  and  constant  Intercourse  of  Trade  and 
Commerce  betwixt  all  the  said  Places,  to  the  great  benefit  of 
the  People  of  these  Nations,  but  also  to  convey  the  Publique 
Despatches,  and  to  discover  and  prevent  many  dangerous,  and 
wicked  Designs,  which  have  been  and  are  daily  contrived  against 
the  Peace  and  Welfare  of  this  Commonwealth,  the  Intellegence 
whereof   cannot  well  be  Communicated,  but  by  Letter  of  Escript, 

"Be  it  Enacted  by  His  Highness  the  Lord  Protector  and  the 
Parliament,  And  it  is  Enacted  and  Ordained  by  Authority  thereof, 
That  from  henceforth  there  be  one  General  Office,  to  be  called  and 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Post  Office  of  England,  and  one  Officer 
from  time  to  time  to  be  nominated,  etc." — H.  Scobell,  A  Collection 
of  Acts  and  Ordinances,  London,  1658,  p.  511. 

(v)  Extract  from  ''  The  Present  State  of  London," 

By  Tho.  de  Laune,  Gent.,  London,  1681. 

Of  the  Post-office. 

This  Office  is  now  kept  in  Lumbard- street,  formerly  in  Bishops- 
gate-street,  the  Profits  of  it  are  by  Act  of  Parliament  settled  on  his 
Eoyal  Highness  the  Duke  of  York.  But  the  King  by  Letters 
Patents,  under  the  Great  Seal  of  England,  constitutes  the  Post- 
Master-General. 


APPENDIXES  385 

From  this  General  OflQce,  Letters  and  Packets  are  dispatched  : 

On  Mondays — 
To     France,     Spain,     Italy,     Germany,    Flanders,    Sweedland, 
Denmark,  Kent,  and  the  Downs. 

On  Tuesdays — 
To  Holland,  Germany,  Sweedland,  Denmark,  Ireland,  Scotland, 
and  all  parts  of  England  and  Wales. 

On  Wednesdays — 
To  all  parts  of  Kent,  and  the  Downs. 

On  Thursdays — 
To  France,  Spain,  Italy,  and  all  parts  of  England  and  Scotland. 

On  Fridays — 
To   Flanders,   Germany,   Italy,   Sweedland,    Denmark,  Holland, 
Kent,  and  the  Downs. 

On  Saturdays — 
All  parts  of  England,  Wales,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.  Letters  are 
returned  from  all  parts  of  England  and  Scotland,  certainly  every 
Monday,  Wednesday,  and  Friday ;  from  Wales  every  Monday  and 
Friday ;  and  from  Kent  and  the  Downs  every  day :  But  from  other 
parts  more  uncertainly,  in  regard  of  the  Sea. 

A  Letter  containing  a  whole  sheet  of  Paper  is  convey'd  80  Miles 
for  2d.  two  sheets  for  4d.  and  an  Ounce  of  Letters  for  8d.  and  so 
proportionably ;  a  Letter  containing  a  sheet  is  conveyed  above 
80  miles  for  3d.  two  sheets  for  6d.  and  every  Ounce  of  Letters 
for  12d.  A  sheet  is  conveyed  to  Dublin  for  6d.  two  for  a  shilling, 
and  an  Ounce  of  Letters  for  12d. 

This  Conveyance  by  Post  is  done  in  so  short  a  time,  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day,  that  every  24  hours,  the  Post  goes  120  Miles,  and  in 
five  days,  an  answer  of  a  Letter  may  be  had  from  a  Place  300  Miles 
distant  from  the  Writer. 

Moreover,  if  any  Gentlemen  desire  to  ride  Post,  to  any  Principal 
Town  of  England,  Post  Horses  are  always  in  readiness,  (taking  no 
Horse  without  the  consent  of  his  owner)  which  in  other  Kings 
Eeigns  was  not  duly  observed ;  and  only  3d .  is  demanded  for  every 
English  Mile,  and  for  every  Stage  to  the  Post-Boy,  4d.  For 
conducting. 

Besides  this  Excellent  convenience  of  conveying  Letters,  and 
Men  on  Horse-back,  there  is  of  late  such  an  admirable  com- 
modiousness,  both  for  Men  and  Women  of  better  rank,  to  travel 
from  London,  and  to  almost  all  the  Villages  near  this  great  City, 
that  the  like  hath  not  been  known  in  the  World,  and  that  is  by 
Stage-Coaches,  wherein  one  may  be  transported  to  any  place, 
sheltred  from  foul  Weather,  and  foul  ways,  free  from  endamaging 

26 


386 


RATES   OF   POSTAGE 


ones  Health  or  Body  by  hard  jogging,  or  over  violent  motion ;  and 
this  not  only  at  a  low  price,  as  about  a  shilling  for  every  five 
Miles,  but  with  such  velocity  and  speed,  as  that  the  Posts  in  some 
Foreign  Countries,  make  not  more  Miles  in  a  day  ;  for  the  Stage- 
Coaches,  called  Flying-Coaches,  make  forty  or  fifty  Miles  in  a  day, 
as  from  London  to  Oxford  or  Cambridge,  and  that  in  the  space  of 
twelve  hours,  not  counting  the  time  for  Dining,  setting  forth  not  too 
early,  nor  coming  in  too  late. 

The  several  Bates  that  now  are  and  have  been  taken  for  the 
Carriage  of  Letters,  Pacquets,  and  Parcels,  to  or  from  any  of  His 
Majesties  Dominions,  to  or  from  any  other  parts  or  places  beyond 
the  Seas,  are  as  followeth,  that  is  to  say. 


Morlaix,    St.    Maloes,    Caen,    Newhaven, 
distance,  Carriage  paid  to  Rouen 


and  places   of    like 


Hamburgh,  Colen,  Frankfort,  Carriage  paid  to  Antwerp,  is 


Venice,  Geneva,  Legorn,  Rome,  Naples,  Messina,  and  all  other 
parts  of  Italy  by  way  of  Venice,  Franct  pro  Mantua 


Single 

Double 

Treble 

Ounce 

Single 

Double 

Treble 

Ounce 

Single 

Double 

Treble 

Ounce 

Single 


Marseilles,   Smirna,   Constantinople,   Aleppo,  and  all  parts  of  J  Double 


Turky,  Carriage  paid  to  Marseilles 


And  for  Letters  brought  from  the  same  places  to  England 


The  Carriage  of   Letters  brought  into  England,  from  Calice, 
Diep,  Bulloigu,  Abbeville,  Amiens,  St.  Omers,  Montrel 


Rouen 


Genoua,   Legorn,  Rome,   and  other  parts  of  Italy  by  way  of  j 
Lyons,  Franct  pro  Lyons  I 

The  Carriage  of  Letters  Outwards — 

To  Bourdeaux,  Rochel,  Nants,  Orleans,  Bayon,  Tours,  and  places 
of  like  distance.  Carriage  paid  to  Paris 


0 
1 
1 
1 
0 
1 
2 
2 
0 
1 
2 
2 
1 
2 
1  f  Ounce  2 
V  Ounce     2 

Single 

Double 

Treble 

Ounce 

Single 

Double 

Treble 

Ounce 

Single 

Double 

Treble 

Ounce 

Single 

Double   2 

f  Ounce  2 

Ounce     3 

Single  0 

Double  1 

Treble  2 

Ounce  2 


d. 
6 
0 
6 
6 
8 
4 
0 
0 
9 
6 
3 
8 
0 
0 
9 
8 
8 
4 
0 
0 
4 
8 
0 
0 
6 
0 
6 
6 
0 
0 
9 
9 

9 
6 
3 
0 


APPENDIXES  387 


Letters  brought  from  the  same  places  into  England 


Paris 


8.  d. 

Single     1  0 

Double    2  0 

J  Ounce  3  0 

Ounce     4  0 

The  Carriage  of  Letters  Outwards — 

.  Single  1  0 

To  Norembourgh,  Bremen,  Dantzick,  Lubeck,   Lipswick,   and  J  Double  2  0 

other  places  of  like  distance,  Carriage  paid  to  Hamburgh   I  |  Ounce  3  0 

\  Ounce  4  0 

Single  0  9 

Double  1  6 

Treble  2  3 

Ounce  2  0 

Dunkirk,  Ostend,  Lisle,  Ipers,  Cambray,  Ghent,  Bruxels,  Bruges,   /  Single  0  8 

Antwerp,  and  all  other  parts  of  Flanders.                                        Double  1  4 

Sluce,  Flushing,  Middleburgh,  Amsterdam,  Rotterdam,  Delph,      Treble  2  0 

Hague,  and  all  other  parts  of  Holland  and  Zealand.                        Ounce  2  0 

All  Merchants  Accounts,  not  exceeding  a  Sheet,  Bills  of  Exchange, 
Invoices,  Bills  of  Lading,  shall  be  allowed  without  rate  in  the  price 
of  the  Letters,  and  also  the  Covers  of  the  Letters  not  exceeding  a 
Sheet,  to  Marseilles,  Venice,  or  Legorn,  towards  Turkie. 

The  said  Office  is  managed  by  a  Deputy,  and  other  Officers  to  the 
Number  of  seventy  seven  persons;  who  give  their  actual  attendance 
respectively,  in  the  dispatch  of  the  business. 

Upon  this  Grand  Office,  depends  one  hundred  eighty  two  Deputy- 
Post-Masters  in  England  and  Scotland;  most  of  which  keep  Eegular 
Offices  in  their  Stages,  and  Sub-Post- Masters  in  their  Branches ; 
and  also  in  Ireland,  another  General  Office  for  that  Kingdom,  which 
is  kept  in  Dublin,  consisting  of  Eighteen  like  Officers,  and  Forty-five 
Deputy-Post-Masters. 

The  Present  Post-Master-General,  keeps  constantly,  for  the 
transport  of  the  said  Letters  and  Pacquets  ; 

/  France,  two  Pacquet-Boats. 

^  ,           X-.     ,     3       3  Flanders,  two  Pacquet-Boats, 

Between  England  and ^^,,.  ,,  _^  t3„_„^,  t^_,. 


1  Holland,  three  Pacquet-Boats. 


Ireland,  three  Pacquet-Boats. 
And  at  Deal,  two  Pacquet-Boats  for  the  Downs. 

All  which  Officers,  Post-Masters,  Pacquet-Boats,  are  maintained 
at  his  own  proper  Charge. 

And  as  the  Master-piece  of  all  those  good  regulations,  estabUshed 
by  the  present  Post-Master-General,  for  the  better  Government  of 
the  said  Office,  he  hath  annexed  and  appropriated  the  Market-Towns 
of  England,  so  well  to  their  Respective  Post-Stages,  that  there  is 
no  considerable  Market-Town,  but  hath  an  easie  and  certain  Con- 


388  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

veyance  for  the  Letters  thereof,  to  and  from  the  said  Grand  Office, 
in  the  due  course  of  the  Males  every  Post. 

Though  the  Number  of  Letters  Missive  in  England,  were  not  at 
all  Considerable  in  our  Ancestors  days,  yet  it  is  now  so  prodigiously 
great,  (since  the  meanest  People  have  Generally  learned  to  write) 
that  this  Office  is  Farmed  for  above  40,  rather  50,000Z.  a  Year. 

(vi)   The   Cboss   Posts.^ 

No.  1  (a). 

To   the   E*.    Hon"«.   Sidney   L'*.   Godolphin  Lord  High  Trearer  of 
England. 

May  it  please  y'.  Lo^^. 

My  Lord  Grandville  and  seaverall  Gentlemen  of  Cornwell  having 
represented  to  Us  that  by  reason  of  the  Post  Eoad  passing  along  the 
South  Coast  of  Cornwell  seaverel  Inland  Towns  are  under  great 
disadvantages  in  their  Correspondence  paying  two  pence  p'  Letter 
over  &  above  the  Common  Postage  being  serv'd  only  by  a  By  Post ; 
We  did  give  directions  to  Our  Deputys  of  Exeter,  Plym°,  and 
Lanceston  to  meet  and  Consult  what  Method  might  be  proper  to 
serve  those  parts  more  conveniently,  and  at  as  Easie  an  Expence  to 
Her  Ma*'®,  as  might  be,  and  to  Report  to  Us  their  Opinion  of  that 
Matter  with  an  Estimate  of  the  Charge  ;  which  they  accordingly  did, 
and  have  proposed  a  Scheme  of  that  Matter  how  'tis  to  be  performed 
with  the  Charge  of  each  Stage,  which  amounts  according  to  their 
Computation  to  about  £260  p'  Ann  a  Sum  more  considerable  than 
We  at  first  apprehended  ;  but  We  doubt  the  Charge  Her  Ma"^  will 
be  put  to  will  Scarce  be  recompenced  by  the  increase  of  Letters 
upon  Setthng  such  a  Stage,  especially  when  We  consider  the  great 
Number  of  Letters  for  that  Country  which  pass  Frank :  If  Y'  Lo***". 
shall  think  fitting  a  Post  be  Settled  for  the  Midland  Towns,  as  well 
as  for  the  South  Coast,  We  shall  upon  y'  Directions  endeavour  to 
do  it  with  the  best  Husbandry  We  can,  and  as  We  hope  to  the 
Satisfaction  of  the  Country,  and  shall  lay  before  Y'.  Lo^^.  an  Estab- 
lishm*.  to  be  approved  by  Y'.  Lo**"^. 

We  have  indeed  found  by  Experience  in  other  Places,  That  where 
We  have  made  the  Correspondence  more  Easie  and  Cheap,  the 
Number  of  Letters  has  been  thereby  much  increased ;  and  therefore 
do  believe  such  a  Settlement  may  be  attended  with  the  like  effect  in 
those  Parts.     All  which  is  humbly  Submitted  to  y'.  Lo^'. 

R.  C.        T.  F. 
Gen^.  Post  Office, 
22"*.  Novemb\  1703. 

*  Prom  the  British  Official  Records. 


APPENDIXES  389 

No.  1  (b). 

After  my  hearty  Comendations,  Whereas  my  very  good  Lord  John 
Lord  Grandville  and  seaveral  Gentlemen  of  Cornwall  have  Kepre- 
sented  to  you,  That  by  reason  of  the  Post  Eoad  passing  along  the 
South  Coast  of  Cornwall,  Seaveral  Inland  Towns  are  under  great 
disadvantages  in  their  Correspondence  ;  Whereupon  you  have  pro- 
posed to  Me  the  Settlement  of  a  New  Post  for  the  Midland  Towns, 
as  well  as  for  the  South  Coast,  the  better  to  Serve  those  parts,  the 
Charge  whereof  will  Amount  to  Two  hundred  and  Sixty  pounds  p. 
Ann  I  approve  of  what  you  have  proposed.  And  do  hereby  Authorize 
and  Require  you  to  Settle  and  Establish  such  a  Post  accordingly. 
But  you  are  at  twelve  months  End  to  Represent  to  Me  or  the  Lord 
High  Treasurer  or  Commiss".  of  the  Treasury  then  being,  how  far 
such  a  Post  doth  answer  the  Expence  Her  Ma"®,  is  at  in  Settling  the 
Same.  And  for  so  doing  this  shall  be  y'.  Warrant.  Whitehall 
Treary  Chambers  the  7th  December  1703. 

GODOLPHIN. 

To  my  very  loving  Friends 
S'.  Rob*.  Cotton  Kn*.  and 
S'.  Thom".  Frankland  Bar*. 
Her  Ma"«*.  Post-M'.  Gen». 

No.  2. 

S'.  Robert  Cotton  Kn*.  and  Sir  Thomas  Frankland  Baronet  Her  M""*. 
Post  Master  Gen^  in  the  Kingdoms  of  England  Scotland  and 
Ireland  and  in  all  Her  M*"®"  other  Dominions  Territorys  and 
Isles  thereunto  belonging  in  Europe  Affrica  and  America. 

To  all  People  to  whom  this  shall  come  Greeting  know  ye,  that 
whereas  the  County  of  Lincoln  has  not  hitherto  been  Served  so  well 
with  the  Correspondence  by  Letters  as  other  parts  of  the  Nation, 
several  Towns  therein  not  having  had  the  Convenience  of  a  Post  at 
all,  and  others  having  been  obleig'd  to  pay  an  extraordinary  Tax 
above  the  Common  Postage,  We  have  thought  it  proper  to  appoint 
Mr.  Richard  Bigg  of  Winslow  in  the  County  of  Buckingham  Gentle- 
man, and  Mr.  Richard  Dixon  of  Bourn  in  the  County  of  Lincoln 
Gentleman  (having  receiv'd  good  Testimony  of  the  fidelity  and 
Loyalty  of  both  and  each  of  them  to  Her  Ma"®,  and  reposing  great 
trust  &  confidence  in  the  knowledge  Care  and  Ability  of  them  both)  to 
be  our  lawfuU  and  Sufficient  Deputys  with  full  Power  and  Authority 
to  Erect  Settle  and  Establish  Posts  in  such  Towns  of  the  said  County 
for  the  Carrying  and  Conveying  the  Letters  as  well  those  called 
the  London  Letters  as  the  By  Letters  of  the  said  County,  as  shall  be 
judged  most  proper  for  Her  Ma"®^  Service,  and  the  improvem'.  of 


390  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

the  Correspoudence  of  the  said  County  and  to  Agree  and  Contract 
with  such  Persons  as  the  said  Eichard  Bigg  and  Richard  Dixon  or 
either  of  them  shall  think  fitt  to  Agree  and  Contract  with  for  per- 
forming the  Riding  part  through  such  Stages  as  shall  be  Erected  by 
them  or  for  keeping  Letter  Offices  in  any  Towns  of  the  said  County, 
And  do  by  these  presents  Depute  Constitute  Authorise  and  Appoint 
the  said  Rich^.  Bigg  and  Richard  Dixon  to  be  our  Lawfull  and 
Sufficient  Deputys  in  manner  and  form  aforesaid  from  the  tenth  day 
of  August  next  ensuing  the  date  hereof  during  such  time  as  We  or 
the  Postmaster  Gen^  for  the  time  being  shall  think  fit  under  such 
Conditions  payments  and  Instructions  to  be  faithfully  observ'd  per- 
form'd  and  done  by  the  said  Rich*.  Bigg  and  Richard  Dixon  their 
Deputys  and  Servants  as  they  shall  from  time  to  time  receive  from 
the  Gen^  Post  Office  in  London  in  writing  Subscribed  by  Us  our 
Deputy  or  Deputys  in  the  Post  Office,  in  Witness  whereof  We  the 
said  S'.  Robert  Cotton  and  Sir  Thomas  Frankland  have  hereunto 
sett  our  hands  &  Caused  the  Seal  of  the  said  Office  in  such  Cases 
used  to  be  affixed  this  fourth  day  of  August  1705. 

R.  C.        T.  F. 

No.  3. 
To  y"  Rt.  Honble  y°  Lords  Com",  of  his  Majestys  Treary. 
May  it  please  your  L.sps — 

A  Proposall  having  some  time  since  been  made  to  your  Lordsps 
That  a  Cross  Post  might  be  settled  between  Bristol  &  Shrewsbury, 
you  were  pleased  to  refer  y®  same  to  Us  to  Consider  of  it  &  Report 
Our  opinions  thereupon  w°**  Wee  did  accordingly  and  acquainted  yo' 
Lordsps  Wee  did  hope  Wee  should  find  some  persons  who  would  at 
their  Owne  Cost  and  Charges  undertake  to  Settle  a  Cross  Post,  upon 
such  terms  as  his  Majesty  would  not  be  a  loser  and  the  people 
receive  the  benefit  they  proposed. 

The  Establishing  such  a  Cross  Roade  would  undoubtedly  be  of 
great  Use  to  Trade  &  Convenience  to  y®  People  and  appeares  to  be 
very  much  desired  by  the  several  Countrys  thro'  w*^*^  it  wou'd  pass ; 
but  as  at  present  it  might  become  loss  to  y*  Revenue  Wee  think  it 
Our  Duety  to  lay  y®  whole  state  of  the  Case  before  Yo'  Lorsps  to 
receive  yo'  further  Directions  and  have  hereunto  annexed  a  scheme 
both  of  the  Charge  &  loss  that  may  accrew  to  the  Office  thereby. 

Wee  must  observe  to  yo'  Lordsps  That  Lond°.  (from  y®  establishing 
of  a  post  Office)  having  been  esteemed  the  Center  all  letters  passing 
thro'  one  Road  to  an  other  thro'  Lond°.  have  been  constantly  taxed 
with  a  double  post  first  to  Lond°.  y*"  to  y®  places  where  to  they  were 
directed,  but  the  settling  of  this  Cross  Post  w**"  will  Cause  a  direct 
Intercourse  between   y®  West  Bristol  <&  Chester  Roades,   all  Ires, 


APPENDIXES  391 

passing  that  way  can  only  be  Charged  w*^  a  single  Post  according  to 
y®  distance  of  one  place  from  an  other ;  but  y°  it  ought  to  be  con- 
sidered on  the  other  hand  That  the  passing  thro'  Lond?  is  both 
tedious  and  Chargeable,  and  a  more  Speedy  Conveyance  would  in 
all  probabiHty  produce  of  an  encrease  of  y*  n°.  of  letters  besides  the 
bringing  such  into  y®  Office  as  are  now  Conveyed  by  Carryers ;  for 
where  ever  there  are  any  Townes  w°^  have  Comerce  one  w***  an  other 
so  as  to  occasion  a  Cons*.  Intercourse  by  Carryer  or  Tradesmen 
Wee  do  find  it  a  General  Practice  to  Convey  at  y®  same  time  a  Con- 
siderable No.  of  Ires  as  pticularly  between  Bristol  &  Worcester  & 
Worcester  &  Shrewsbury  ;  where  there  are  two  persons  that  make 
it  their  business  to  Colect  &  disperse  letters  and  make  a  Considerable 
advantage  by  it.  That  if  y®  settling  this  Eoade  should  have  y*  good 
effect  to  suppress  all  these  By  Posts  (as  in  all  probability  it  will) 
notwithstanding  at  present  there  will  be  some  Loss  the  Eevenue 
in  time  may  be  Improved  by  it ;  and  Wee  do  find  that  the  Cross 
Eoad  set  up  3  yeares  &  ^  since  Between  Exon  "■  &  Bristol  doth  now 
produce  about  2551.  p.  annum  neat  proffit,  but  in  regard  this  is  alto- 
gether new  Wee  can  not  possibly  be  so  much  Masters  of  it  as  to 
know  w*.  terms  to  propose  to  any  undertakers  that  may  be  equall 
between  the  King  and  them  and  therefore  if  yo'  Lordsps  do  agree  to 
the  Proposal  Wee  are  of  opinion  it  may  be  most  proper  to  be  set  up 
and  managed  for  his  Majesty  and  Carryed  on  as  far  as  Chester.  .  .  . 

(vii)  The  Early  Posts  in  North  America." 
No.  1  {a). 

To  the  Eight  Honble  the  Lords  Comrs.  of  his  Majesty's  Treas'y. 
Thomas  Neale  Esq'®,  humbly  sheweth 

That  their  sacred  Majesty's  by  their  letters  pattents  bearing  date 
the  17th  day  of  February  1692  granted  to  the  said  Thomas  Neale  a 
power  of  settling  Post  Offices  in  North  America  to  be  executed  by  a 
person  to  be  nominated  by  the  said  Thomas  Neale  and  Deputed  by 
the  Postmaster  Generall  of  England  and  thereby  directed  that 
accounts  shall  be  kept  of  the  Charge  and  produce  of  the  said  Post 
Offices,  and  transmitted  to  the  Eight  Honble  the  Lord  Treasurer  or 
Lds.  Comissioners  of  the  Treasury  for  the  time  being. 

That  in  pursuance  of  this  Grant  Andrew  Hamilton  Esq'*,  was 
nominated  and  Deputed  to  erect  Post  Offices,  who  hath  at  Thomas 
Neales  great  Charge  settled  'em  700  miles  in  Length,  upon  the 
Continent  of  America  and  kept  true  accounts  of  the  Expences  and 
proffits  thereof,  which  ace*",  sworne  to  by  the  said  Deputy  Post- 
'  Exeter.  '  From  the  British  Ojfficial  Records. 


392  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

master  before  the  Governor  of  New  Yorke  are  now  humbly  laid 
before  your  Lordshipps  and  an  abstract  of  it  for  yor.  Lordspps.  ease. 
That  the  said  Deputy  Postmaster  is  come  over  to  give  your  Lord- 
shipps Information  of  all  matters  relating  to  that  subject  which  your 
Lordshipps  shall  think  fit  to  enquire  of,  and  hath  proposed  the 
Method  contained  in  the  Memoriall  annexed  as  of  absolute  necessity 
in  his  opinion  to  support  the  Post,  which  proves  a  great  service  to 
the  Crowne  as  well  as  advantage  to  his  Majesty's  subjects  residing 
in  those  Colliny's  and  Trading  thither. 

All  which  is  humbly  submitted  to  your 

Lordshipps  Judgment  &  direction. 

Tho:  Neale. 

No.  1  (6). 

To    the    Bight    Honourable   the   Lords    Com",    of    his    Majesty's 
Treasury. 

The  Memoriall  of  Andrew  Hamilton  Esqr.  Deputed  by  the 
Postmr.  Generall  of  England,  to  mannage  the  Post  Office 
in  North  America,  humbly  offered. 

The  Post  OflBce  in  North  America  produces  these  good  Effects. 

It  encreases  Trade  and  Correspondence  betwixt  the  Colonys 
there. 

It  affords  Merchts.  more  frequent  opertunitys  of  Corresponding 
with  Europe. 

It  contributes  much  towards  putting  the  Kings  subjects  in  security 
in  time  of  Warr  by  ye.  frequent  Conveyance  of  Intelligence  when 
allarms  happen,  for  want  of  wch.  many  familys  have  been  cutt  off 
before  the  settling  of  the  Post. 

And  it  readily  conveys  Court  Packets  from  the  Colony,  where  they 
are  delivered  to  those  whither  they  are  addressed  without  any 
expence  to  the  Crowne,  or  said  Coliny,  besides  many  other 
advantages. 

But  not  withstanding  these  Publick  and  private  benefits  arising 
by  it  and  the  unspeakable  Loss  to  those  Collonys  and  England 
should  the  Post  fall  Yet  the  Undertaker  besides  a  Considerable 
sume  he  hath  been  out  of  pocket  already  (above  the  Produce  in 
carrying  it  on)  must  still  be  in  disburse  for  support  of  it  or  must  let 
it  fall. 

To  prevent  which  it  is  humbly  offered  that  a  postage  upon  all 
letters  as  well  those  that  come  from  beyond  sea  to  North  America 
as  what  go's  from  Colony  to  Colony  may  be  ascertained  by  an  act  of 
Parliament  in  England. 


APPENDIXES  393 

That  no  Masters  of  ships  or  sailers  bound  to  America  shall  receive 
any  letters  but  at  the  Post  Office  to  be  appointed  for  that  purpose. 

That  in  like  manner  no  Masters  of  shipps  shall  receive  letters  in 
America  that  are  directed  to  Europe  or  from  one  part  of  America  to 
another  but  from  the  respective  Post  Offices  in  the  ports  where  they 
load  or  from  whence  they  saile  which  said  Post  Offices  shall  put  the 
letters  in  a  Maile  and  take  a  Receipt  of  the  Master  that  he  shall 
deliver  them  in  to  the  first  Post  Office  where  he  shall  arive  free  of 
charge,  for  which  he  shall  be  allowed  in  America  a  penny  a  letter 
for  his  Care  excepting  such  letters  as  concerne  the  ship  or  cargoe 
which  the  freightors  or  owners  if  they  think  fit  may  commit  to  the 
care  or  charge  of  the  Master  or  friend. 

Excepting  also  such  letters  of  Merchants  as  may  Contain  Bulky 
accounts  which  no  Master  is  intended  to  be  hindered  of  carrying  as 
also  excepting  such  letters  which  the  agents  or  propriotary  govern- 
ments may  send  to  the  Respective  Governors  whose  agents  they 
are.  It  being  only  hereby  intended  that  the  bulke  of  letters  w"** 
hitherto  have  gone  very  loosely,  to  the  great  Loss  of  Merchants 
may  for  the  future  be  conveyed  in  Mailes  to  prevent  frauds  or 
inconveniencys  which  have  often  hitherto  happened. 

That  the  said  Master  shall  under  a  Penalty  be  obhged  to  call  at 
the  respective  post  offices  where  he  shall  load  for  the  Maile  and  if 
none  be  ready  to  be  sent  that  he  bring  with  him  a  Certificate  for  his 
Justification  that  he  called. 

The  method  at  present  used  to  get  letters  transported  to  America 
is  this — 

The  Masters  bound  thither  put  up  bags  in  Coffee  houses  wherein 
the  letters  are  put  and  for  which  one  penny  a  letter  is  usually  paid 
and  2d.  if  it  exceeds  a  single  letter. 

This  is  Lyable  to  several  abuses. 

First  any  one  under  pretence  that  he  wants  to  have  his  letters  up 
again  may  come  to  those  bags  and  take  out  other  mens  letters  and 
thereby  discover  the  secrets  of  Merchants  and  tis  in  their  power 
intirely  to  w***draw  them. 

2^^^-  Severall  Masters  upon  their  arrivall  often  keep  up  letters  till 
they  have  disposed  of  their  Loading  and  are  ready  to  saile  again, 
and  then  Drop  them  to  the  great  hurt  of  those  that  are  concerned, 
which  inconveniencys  would  be  prevented  if  letters  were  delivered 
from  the  Post  Offices  in  Mailes  and  likewise  delivered  by  them  in 
Mailes  into  the  Post  Office  where  they  arrive.  Offices  may  be 
erected  in  London  and  other  sea  Port  Townes  in  England  that  Trade 
with  America  and  so  they  may  be  in  Ireland  and  the  same  penny 
a  letter  which  is  paid  into  the  Coffee  houses  would  support  such 
offices  in  England  and  Ireland  to  receive  such  letters. 


394  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

Such  offices  will  be  a  great  convenience  to  lodge  such  letters  as 
may  concerns  his  Majestys  affairs  in  America. 

If  Masters  were  obliged  to  receive  letters  to  and  from  America 
from  the  Post  Office  only,  in  Mailes  and  delivered  them  so  at  the 
first  post  office  they  arrive  at ;  there  would  be  saved  to  the  King 
a  penny  a  letter,  which  now  Masters  of  shipps  and  passengers 
Eeceive,  for  every  American  letter  they  deliver  at  the  respective 
Offices  and  whereas  now  many  letters  are  delivered  by  Masters  and 
passengers  themselves  to  the  persons  concerned,  all  those  letters 
would  then  be  brought  into  the  Post  Office  to  the  encrease  of  that 
Kevenue. 

That  it  be  provided  that  the  Post  and  his  horse  shall  go  fferry 
ffree. 

That  the  rates  following  may  be  set  upon  letters — 

To  or  from  Europe  or  to  the  West  Indies  to  North  America  six 
pence  p.  single  letter  12d.  p.  double  18d.  for  a  packet  if  a  packet 
contain  nothing  but  Invoices,  accts.  Gazetts  &ca.  to  be  accounted 
but  as  a  single  letter. 

Upon  Inland  letters  as  followes — 

d. 

Where  the  distance  from  New  Yorke  to  Boston  is  within  80  miles  the  postage  6 

Where  the  distance  exceeds  80  miles  and  within  150     . .         . .          . .         . .  9 

Postage  to  and  from  Boston  to  New  Yorke  being  300  miles     . .         . .         . .  12 

To  and  from  Boston  to  Jersey  370  miles    . .         . .         18 

To  and  from  Boston  to  Philadelphia  390  miles    . .          20 

To  and  from  Boston  to  Annapolis  in  Maryland  550  miles         86 

To  and  from  Boston  to  James  Towne  in  Virginia  680  miles 42 

To  and  from  New  Yorke  to  Annapolis  250  miles . .         . .         . .         . .         . .  24 

To  and  from  New  Yorke  to  James  Towne  380  miles  and  many  broad  and 

dangerous  Bays  and  Rivers  to  be  Ferryed  over        30 

If  it  be  objected  y*.  there  is  no  reason  to  grant  a  postage  upon 
forrensic  letters  where  the  Postmaster  is  at  no  charge  of  Conveyance, 

It  is  answered  first  that  it  remidies  the  evills  that  letters  are  subject 
to  by  the  present  Method  of  Conveyance. 

2*"^.  It  encreases  the  Revenue  of  the  Post  Office  in  England. 

gdiy  Ttiat  those  Colonys  having  but  little  Correspondence  with  an 
other  if  the  Reale  Expence  of  Conveying  letters  from  Coliny  to 
Colony  were  charged  upon  Inland  letters  it  would  discourage  all 
Correspondence . 

Exa  :  The  Charge  of  a  letter  from  New  Yorke  to  Boston  at  present 
is  after  y®  rate  of  12d.  a  letter  and  considering  the  fewness  of  y"". 
and  the  extraordinary  charge  and  trouble  of  keeping  up  the  Post  in 
time  of  Wintor  taking  it  one  Post  with  an  other  a  single  letter  would 
not  be  Carry ed  for  5^. 

The  Charges  of  settling  a  Post  throughout  Virginia  and  Maryland 


APPENDIXES  395 

will  cost  at  least  500**.  p.  ana.  &  100  letters  in  a  year  will  not  come 
from  those  CoUonys  to  the  neighbouring  Colonys  their  Correspond- 
ence being  chiefly  w***.  Europe.     All  which  is  humbly  submitted  by 
May  it  please  your  Lordshipps 

Your  Lordpps  most  obedient  servant 

And  :  Hamilton. 

I  humbly  beg  leave  of  your  Lordspps  to  add  y'.  w°.  his  Majesty 
shall  at  any  time  be  inclinable  to  take  this  Post  Office  under  his 
Immediate  direction  I  humbly  make  a  proffer  to  make  a  Surrendor 
of  y®.  pattent  upon  payment  of  5000*^  or  lOOO**.  p.  ann.  for  life  for 
the  remaining  Tearme  of  y®.  Pattent. 

Tho:  Neale. 


A  Calculation  what  Charge  will  carry  ye  Post  from  Newcastle  in 
Pensilvania  to  James  City  in  Virginia  about  400  Miles. 

There  being  a  great  many  broad  &  dangerous  rivers  to  be 
Crossed  makes  it  difficult  to  procure  men  to  Ryde  ye  Stages  and 
will  cost  at  least  to  carry  ye  Post  from  Newcastle  through  Maryland 
to  James  City  in  Virginia  300Z.  P  Ann.  I  Reckon  yt  in  2  or  3 
yeares  &  may  be  less  this  Charge  will  be  defrayed  by  what  may 
Arise  by  Postage  upon  letters.  The  Post  from  Newcastle  to  New 
England  now  at  last  defraying  att  last  its  own  Charge  there  will 
remain  only  ye  Sallery  to  be  allowed  to  ye  Deputy  Postmaster 
Generall  which  by  ye  Increase  of  ye  Post  will  in  2  yeares  more  in 
probobility  alsoe  be  defrayed. 

As  I  have  laid  ye  first  foundation  of  ye  American  Post  soe  if  ye 
King  think  fitt  to  continue  me  on  this  trust  I  will  take  upon  me  ye 
managem*  of  ye  whole  from  Piscatway  70  Miles  eastward  of  Boston 
to  James  City  in  Virginia  w^**  is  800  &  odd  miles  for  300^.  p  Annum 
and  will  keep  exact  Accts.  of  ye  produce. 

Soe  yt  12001.  will  in  all  probability  be  ye  utmost  Charge  ye  King 
will  be  att  to  bring  ye  American  Post  to  support  it  Self  vizt.  6001.  for 
two  yeares  Carrying  it  through  Maryland  &  Virginia  and  6001.  more 
for  2  yeares  salery  to  ye  Manager  or  Deputy  Postmaster  Gen"  and 
will  thereafter  bring  in  A  Revenue  All  which  is  most  humbly 
Submitted. 

And  :  Hamilton, 
Dep*  Postm'  of  North  America. 

Aprill  26th  99 


396  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

No.  1  (c). 

Cock  Pit  Teeasuby  Chambers. 
The  L**'.  Com",  of  his  Majties  Treary  are  pleased  to  refer  this 
petition  and  ye  account  annexed  to  S'.  Robt.  Cotton  Kn*.  &  S"".  Tho. 
Frankland  Barr*.  his  Majties  Postm".  Generall  who  are  desired  to 
examine  ye  particulars  and  report  to  their  Lopps  a  true  state  thereof 
together  w***.  their  opinion  what  is  fit  to  be  done  therein. 

W™  Lowndes. 

The  account  annex'd  to  y®  petition  makes  y®  charges  of  Erecting 
y«  post  in  North  America  from  May  1693  to  May  97  ...     3817  6  11 J 


The  produce  of  s*  post 1456  18  3} 

M'.  Neale  out  of  pocket  at  May  97        ...     2360    8  8^ 


3817  6  llf 


No.  1  {d). 
To  the  right  Honble  the  Lords  Com",  of  his  Maj"'".  Treary. 

May  it  please  your  Lordspps. 

In  obedience  to  yo'.  Ld.spps.  Order  of  Refference  upon  y® 
Memoriall  of  Thomas  Neale  and  Andrew  Hamilton  Esq".  Wee 
have  Considered  the  same  and  do  find  that  the  said  A  :  Hamilton 
hath  Established  a  regular  Post  to  pass  weekly  from  Boston  to 
New  Yorke  in  New  England  and  from  New  York  to  Newcastle  in 
Pensilvania  which  must  undoubtedly  be  of  great  benefit  and 
advantage  to  the  People  and  tend  to  the  encreasing  of  Trade  in 
those  Plantations ;  Wee  have  likewise  examined  the  accounts  given 
in  by  the  said  Hamilton  of  the  Proffit  and  charge  arising  by  this 
Post  and  do  find  that  the  Profi&ts  have  every  yeare  encreased,  so  as 
to  defray  all  charges,  excepting  the  sallary  paid  to  the  said  Andrew 
Hamilton  for  his  care  in  managing  and  settHng  the  Posts  in  North 
America  and  it  may  be  hoped  that  upon  the  severall  Governors 
giving  all  reasonable  encouragement  to  this  usefull  undertaking,  and 
a  due  care  in  the  management  thereof,  It  may  in  some  years  bring 
in  a  Considerable  proffit. 

Wee  have  Consulted  his  Majestys  Attorney  and  SoUiciter  Generall 
whether  his  Majesty  can  settle  the  rates  and  Postage  between 
England  and  any  of  the  Ports  in  America,  and  for  the  port  of  letters 
to  and  from  New  Yorke  to  or  from  any  part  of  the  said  plantations  ; 
and  they  are  of  opinion  his  Majesty  May  settle  such  rates  in  both 
respects  as  shall  be  thought  reasonable  (regard  being  had  to  the 
proportions  and  rates  settled  by  the  Act),  for  letters  carried  beyond 


APPENDIXES  397 

sea,  so  y*  it  doth  not  seeme  necessary  there  should  be  any  additionall 
Act  of  Parliam*.  for  the  settling  of  rates  upon  all  such  letters. 

To  prevent  any  Collections  of  letters  that  may  be  made  by  any 
Masters  of  Ships  or  Seamen  Wee  are  humbly  of  opinion  it  may  be 
proper  to  appoint  an  Officer  here  whose  business  it  should  be  to  take 
Care  of  all  letters  directed  to  any  of  his  Majestys  Plantations,  and 
upon  going  off  of  ships  to  those  parts  to  put  them  up  in  severall  and 
distinct  bags,  sealed  with  the  Seale  of  the  Office  and  sent  to  y®  Ma', 
of  such  Vessell  who  shall  deliver  y"".  to  y®  Deputy  Postm',  in  the 
first  Port  where  he  shall  arrive  such  Deputy  paying  him  one  penny 
for  each  letter  Contained  in  y®  said  bag  as  a  recompence  for  his 
Care  :  and  y®  same  method  may  likewise  be  observed  in  England  for 
all  such  letters  as  shall  come  from  America  :  and  upon  such  Officers 
being  Established  it  may  be  fit  to  give  Publick  Notice  that  no  other 
person  presume  to  make  Collection  of  letters  for  those  parts. 

Wee  have  Considered  of  the  severall  rates  mentioned  in  Mr. 
Hamiltons  Memoriall  for  the  Inland  Post  of  letters  between  one 
place  &  an  other  in  America  and  are  humbly  of  opinion  some  of 
them  are  too  high.  It  having  been  found  by  Experience  in  this 
Office  That  y®  easy  and  cheap  Corresponding  doth  encourage  people 
to  write  letters  and  that  this  Eevenue  was  but  little  in  proportion  to 
what  it  now  is  till  the  postage  was  reduced  from  sixpence  to  3d. 

Wee  have  advised  with  Mr.  Hamilton  who  hath  settled  and 
managed  this  Post  under  Mr.  Neale  and  is  recomended  to  Us  by 
the  Governor  of  Virginia  to  be  well  acquainted  with  that  Country 
about  enlarging  the  Post  through  Virginia  &  Maryland  and  by  his 
Competation  hereunto  annexed  do  find  that  it  will  require  1200*. 
further  Charge  than  w*  has  already  been  expended  to  Establish  and 
bring  the  whole  to  perfection  there. 

Upon  the  whole  it  appears  to  Us  that  as  the  Establishing  this 
American  Post  whereby  the  several  Colonys  have  a  regular  way  of 
Corresponding  with  each  other  is  of  great  advantage  to  the  Trade 
of  his  Maj'y'.  Subjects  in  those  parts  so  it  may  in  few  years  bring 
in  a  cleare  proffit  over  and  above  what  may  be  required  to  defray  y® 
necessary  Charges  but  it  is  to  be  apprehended  that  considering  the 
same  is  in  the  hands  of  a  private  person  the  severall  Governors  will 
not  give  that  encouragem*.  to  it  they  would  do  if  the  profit  and 
advantage  arrising  thereby  were  to  accrew  to  his  Maj*^.  All  which 
is  humbly  submitted  to  your  Lordsps.  Consideration.  Gen'.  Post 
Office  27th  April  1699. 

R:  Co*rTON        Tho  :  Frankland. 


398  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

No.  1  (e). 
To  the  Eight  Honble  &c*. 

The  humble  Memoriall  of  Tho  :  Neale  Esq'. 

May  it  please  your  Lordsps. 
Though  after  Strugling  with  raany  difficultys  in  the  first  settling 
the  American  Post  I  have  now  at  last  at  a  great  Charge  made  it  a 
regular  Post  and  brought  it  to  such  a  pass  that  where  settled  it 
supports  it  self  and  will  in  a  very  few  yeares  bring  in  a  fair  Eevenue, 
Yet  since  the  Postm'.  Gen^  in  their  Keport  to  your  Lordsps  Consern- 
ing  y*  Post  have  declared  their  opinion  that  it  will  not  receive  so 
due  encouragement  nor  so  soon  attain  to  perfection  in  the  hands 
of  a  private  person  for  the  good  of  the  publick,  as  it  would,  were  it 
in  the  hands  of  the  King ;  I  humbly  offer  to  lay  my  Pattent  of  that 
Post  ofi&ce  at  his  Majesty s  feet  rather  then  an  undertaking  so 
usefuU  &  beneficiall  to  his  Majesty s  subjects  in  America  and  to 
those  that  trade  thither  should  want  the  least  advantage  for  its 
support  and  to  leave  my  selfe  to  his  Maj*^^  Justice  and  goodness  for 
a  Eecompence  of  my  risque  and  disbursments  by  a  yearly  Pention 
or  otherwise. 

And  Whereas  in  y®  Memoriall  annexed  to  the  Eeport,  the  abuses 
hitherto  practiced  in  Conveying  letters  to  America  and  the  method 
for  preventing  them  for  the  future  are  set  forth  I  humbly  beseech  yo' 
Lordsps.  y*  the  said  Method  if  approved  of  by  your  Lordps.  or  such 
other  as  your  Lordsps.  shall  think  more  proper  may  be  put  in 
Execusion  for  the  benefit  of  the  Publick  and  mine  till  his  Maj*^. 
shall  declare  his  pleasure  conserning  the  surrender  of  my  Patent. 
All  which  is  most  humbly  submitted  to  yo'.  Lordsps. 
Great  Wisdom  &c*.  by 

My  Lords 

Your  ever  obedient 

Tho  :  Neale. 
April  28,  1699. 

No.   1  (/). 

To  the  Kings  most  Excellent  Ma'^. 

The  humble  Petition  of  Andrew  Hamilton,  and  Eobert  West. 

Sheweth 

That  your  Maj"®.  and  the  late  Queen  of  Blessed  Memory  in  the 
fourth  Year  of  your  Eaigne,  by  Letters  Patent  granted  to  Thomas 
Neale  Esq',  full  power  and  Authority  to  Erect  a  Post,  and  Post  office 
in  North  America,  To  hold  for  one  and  Twenty  yeares  without  any 
Account,  And  by  the  same  Letters  Patent  directed  the  Post  Master 


APPENDIXES  399 

Generall  of  England  to  Issue  Deputations  from  time  to  time  to  such 
Persons  as  Mr.  Neale  or  his  Assignes  should  Nominate,  to  Execute 
the  same  power. 

In  pursuance  of  which  Grant,  the  Post  Master  Generall  at  Mr. 
Neales  nomination.  Deputed  Your  Peticoner  Hamilton,  who  hath 
Setled  a  Post  from  New  Yorke  Southward  as  far  as  Virginia,  and 
Eastward  Seventy  Miles  beyond  Boston  in  New  England,  which 
proves  of  great  Advantage  to  the  Trade  of  those  Coloneys,  and  of  no 
lesse  Service  to  your  Maj'^".  Governm*.  there. 

In  the  Setling  and  Supporting  w"**  Post,  your  Pet'.  West,  above 
seven  yeares  agoe  upon  the  request  and  Credit  of  Mr.  Neale,  advanced 
Two  hundred  pounds,  and  your  Petitioner  Hamilton  hath  since 
disbursed  Eleven  Hundred  Pounds  more,  and  brought  it  to  such 
Perfection,  that  it  allready  defrays  Its  own  Charge,  and  will  in  time 
be  a  Considerable  Eevenue. 

That  Mr.  Neale  being  unable  to  pay  your  Pet™,  or  to  give  them 
other  Satisfaction,  in  August  1699  Assigned  all  his  Interest  in  the 
said  Post  to  your  Petitioner  West  for  secureing  all  the  Monys  due 
to  both  your  Petitioners  and  all  such  other  sumes  as  your  Pet'. 
Hamilton  should  expend  in  further  enlarging  the  said  Post,  with 
Common  Interest  for  the  whole  Moneys. 

That  Mr.  Neale  Dying  before  payment  of  any  part  of  the  said 
Debts,  and  all  persons  declining  to  Act  either  as  his  Executor,  or 
Administrator,  Your  Pet'^  will  be  necessitated  to  dispose  of  the 
said  Post  for  Satisfaction  of  their  Debts,  but  being  Sensible  It  is 
more  for  your  Maj"®^.  Interest  and  Service,  to  have  such  Post  Under 
the  management  and  Controll  of  some  Officer  to  be  appointed  by 
your  Ma*''",  than  of  any  Private  Person. 

Your  Petitioners  humbly  tender  the  same  to  your  Maj"°.  and  if 
your  Maj"".  shall  not  thinke  fit  to  Accept  It,  They  humbly  pray  that 
your  Maj"®.  will  Gratiously  encourage  the  Continuance  and  Enlarge- 
ment of  the  said  Post,  by  granting  them  a  further  terme  of  years 
therein,  and  such  additional  Priviledges  as  are  necessary  for  the 
Improvement  of  it. 

And  your  Petitioners  shall  ever  pray  &c*. 

At  the  Court. 


No.  2. 

London  Felf^.  Qth  1779. 
Sib, 

My  present  disagreable  Situation  as  an  Officer  under  the 
Crown  without  Employment,  and  without  a  Salary,  occasioned  by 
the  Bebellion  in  America,  induces  me  to  give  you  the  Trouble  of 


400  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

this  Adress,  and  to  request  your  advice  and  Assistance  in  procuring 
that  Eehef  which  my  present  Circumstances  require. 

You  are  not  a  Stranger  to  my  Appointment  to  the  Office  of 
Deputy  Postmaster  of  Philadelphia  in  the  year  1776  by  the  Deputy 
postmasters  General  of  North  America,  and  that  I  continued  to  act 
in  that  Office,  and  as  I  trust  to  the  entire  Satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned, until  the  Confusion  and  Sedition  in  that  Country  rendered 
it  impossible  for  me  to  be  of  any  kind  of  service. 

In  the  Spring  1775  having  good  Eeason  to  believe  from  a  variety 
of  Information  that  there  was  a  Danger  of  breaking  up  the  Post 
Office  at  Philadelphia  under  the  Crown,  and  seizing  upon  all  the 
Monies  in  my  Custody,  I  immediately  made  up  my  Accounts,  and 
remitted  the  Balance  in  my  Hands  to  the  Comptroller  in  New  York 
up  to  the  6"*  April  of  the  same  year. 

About  this  time  the  disaffected  Merchants  in  Philadelphia  set  up 
by  Subscription  a  post  Office  in  opposition  to  Government,  appointed 
William  Bradford  Postmaster  and  compelled  many  of  the  well 
effected  Merchants  and  others  to  send  their  Letters  to  it  for  Con- 
veyance ;  and  in  May  following  the  Mail  was  seized  in  New  England 
under  a  pubUc  Avowel  of  the  Kebels. 

Under  these  Circumstances  finding  not  only  my  person  was  in 
danger,  but  that  I  could  be  of  no  further  service  to  the  Crown  by 
my  continuing  in  Philadelphia,  I  left  it  and  came  into  New  York 
where  my  Conduct  being  approved,  I  procured  leave  of  Absence, 
and  returned  to  London  in  order  to  represent  the  true  State  of  the 
Offices  in  America,  which  on  my  arrival  I  did.  You  will  also  recol- 
lect that  as  soon  as  possible  after  hearing  that  the  City  of  Phila- 
delphia was  in  possession  of  the  Kings  Troops  I  again  embarked 
under  an  Expectation  that  the  War  would  be  settled  by  the  Com- 
missioners, and  to  take  care  of  the  post  Office  Affairs  in  that  City. 
But  on  my  arrival  finding  that  All  Letters  by  the  packets  &c*.  were 
taken  up  by  the  Commander  in  Chief,  and  delivered  not  only  to  the 
Army  and  Navy  but  even  to  the  Merchants,  the  City  being  evacu- 
ated soon  after,  I  was  obliged  to  return  again  to  this  place  for  safety. 
When  in  the  Execution  of  my  Office  my  Salary  amounted  to  Two 
Hundred  and  Twenty  five  pounds  SterK  p.  Ann.  out  of  which  I  paid 
Clerks  Wages  and  Office  Eent.  This  I  received  up  to  the  5  of  April 
1775.  Since  that  time  I  have  subsisted  on  my  own  means  (except 
Two  Hundred  pounds  at  the  Post  Office  by  Warrant  from  the 
Treasury)  without  receiving  any  other  part  of  my  Salary  from 
Government. 

In  these  Circumstances  it  is  with  reluctance  I  find  myself  under 
the  necessity  of  applying  for  the  same  Allowance  from  the  Crown, 


APPENDIXES  401 

which  has  been  made  to  other  persons  in  Office  under  it,  in  the  like 
Situation. 

I  am  Sir  &«•. 

Thos.  Foxcroft. 
Anth.  Todd,  Esq'. 

Treasury  authorized  £100  a  year  from  5th  April,  1775,  *♦  until  he 
may  be  reinstated  in  the  office  or  otherwise  provided  for." 

No.  3. 

General  Post  Office, 

February  16th,  1793. 

Sir, 

In  your  letter  dated  the  1st  instant  which  we  did  not  receive 
till  the  8th,  We  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  after  much 
difficulty  We  have  but  lately  obtained  Mr.  Finlay's  accounts  as 
Deputy  Post  Master  General  in  America  the  first  Statement  of  which 
was  for  the  period  between  the  5th  of  April  1786  and  the  10th  of 
October  1790  and  exhibited  a  balance  due  to  the  Office  up  to  that 
date  of  £1809.19.4  Sterling  but  the  Account  was  inadmissible  in 
point  of  form  for  reasons  hereafter  mentioned. 

We  are  satisfied  Sir  that  you  will  form  no  Opinion  without  having 
read  the  full  state  of  the  question  on  both  sides  and  the  proofs  and 
documents  by  which  Our  Conduct  towards  Mr.  Finlay  may  be 
judged  and  that  you  will  form  no  hasty  conclusion  from  his  statement 
of  his  own  case,  which  you  will  find  to  be  greatly  misrepresented. 

In  support  of  this  assertion  We  have  ordered  Copies  of  the  letters 
that  We  have  lately  written  to  Mr.  Finlay  upon  the  Subject  of  his 
Debt  to  be  laid  before  you,  And  We  shall  if  you  will  permit  us 
Order  our  Deputy  Accountant  General  and  desire  Mr.  Callender  to 
wait  upon  you  and  to  explain  the  particulars  of  all  that  have  passed. 

Mr.  Callender  is  Mr.  Finlay's  Agent  without  whose  knowledge 
and  concurrence,  We  have  taken  no  one  step  of  late  in  this 
business,  nor  sent  out  any  dispatch  to  Mr.  Finlay  that  Mr.  Callender 
has  not  previously  seen  and  approved. 

He  will  be  able  to  satisfy  you  Sir,  whether  our  conduct  towards 
Mr.  Finlay  has  been  grounded  upon  severity  or  upon  forbearance, 
more  than  perhaps  our  duty  strictly  speaking,  would  justify. 

In  the  mean  time  that  we  may  do  away  any  erroneous  impression, 
which  Mr.  Finlay's  letters  may  have  made  upon  your  mind,  as  well 
as  upon  Gov' :  Clarke's,  We  shall  shortly  put  together  the  points 
which  Our  correspondence  will  prove,  and  We  shall  rely  upon  your 
justice  to  transmit  copy  of  that  correspondence  to  Gov' :  Clarke,  that 
He  may  have  full  and  correct  information  upon  the  subject, 

27 


402  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

There  is  and  has  long  been  a  considerable  balance  due  from 
Mr.  Finlay,  to  this  Eevenue,  for  the  payment  of  which  he  has  given 
no  security,  which  balance  We  have  repeatedly  but  in  Vain  called 
upon  him  to  pay. 

He  is  in  possession  from  us  not  as  He  tells  Governor  Clarke,  of 
a  Salary  of  £300  per  Annum,  but  of  a  Pension  of  £150  p.  Annum, 
a  Salary  of  £150  more,  and  a  Commission  of  £20  per  Cent  on  the 
net  produce  of  letters  within  the  province  of  Canada,  which  he 
assured  us  in  May  1789  produced  to  Him  a  nett  receipt  of  £130 
p.  Annum,  but  previous  to  his  receiving  any  net  produce,  all  charges, 
dead  letters,  under  Deputies  Salaries,  and  other  allowances  are  by 
the  Words  of  his  Commission,  to  be  first  deducted. 

Instead  of  this  he  has  charged  the  Office  £20  per  Cent  upon  the 
Gross,  the  dead  letters  only  deducted,  and  not  upon  the  net  produce 
and  claimed  to  be  allowed  for  sundry  of  those  Articles  of  Manage- 
ment, which  by  His  Commission  on  the  Articles  which  are  to  be 
deducted  before  the  Net  Produce  is  paid  to  him. 

He  also  charges  his  Pension  for  several  quarters,  which  he  must 
know,  was  paid  to  his  Agent  in  this  Country  during  a  part  of  the 
time  he  claims  it  in  Canada. 

In  an  account  amounting  to  several  Thousand  Pounds  and  for 
several  Years,  He  has  sent  us  home  the  particulars  of  no  one 
Article  of  expenditure  whatever,  &  one  Voucher  only  which  is  but 
for  £27. 

His  accounts  from  the  length  of  time  and  the  manner  in  which 
they  have  at  different  periods  been  stated,  are  in  a  confused  and 
contradictory  state,  and  radically  wrong,  from  his  having  taken  con- 
siderable credit  for  Money  received  by  his  Agent  here  on  Account  of 
his  Pension,  and  the  whole  of  the  Articles  of  his  disbursements  being 
destitute  of  Vouchers,  up  to  the  Period  of  the  10th  of  October  1792, 
without  which  they  cannot  pass  this,  or  the  Auditors'  Office,  together 
with  his  having  taken  a  Credit  for  his  £20  p.  Cent  on  false  prin- 
ciples, and  contrary  to  the  words  of  His  Commission,  which  says  it 
shall  be  on  the  Net  and  not  on  the  Gross  Produce.  The  Accountant 
General  therefore  thought  it  more  adviseable,  and  Mr.  Finlay's  own 
Agent  strongly  recommended  the  measure,  of  Mr.  Finlay's  coming 
to  England  to  adjust  in  person,  the  whole,  and  render  an  Account 
capable  of  being  incorporated  in  the  Annual  Accounts  of  this  Office, 
for  the  Auditors  in  which  the  true  balance  must  be  ascertained. 

As  far  as  depends  upon  us  We  have  given  him  the  option  to  come 
or  not,  just  as  He  pleases,  provided  We  have  an  intelligible  Account 
and  his  Balance  paid. 

His  letter  to  Governor  Clarke  of  28th  October  contains  one  mis- 
representation which  is  too  strong  not  to  be  observed  upon ;  For  He 


APPENDIXES  403 

says  We  are  about  to  reduce  his  Income  from  £500  a  year  to  £200, 
though  We  have  often  told  him  that  We  would  allow  him,  and  our 
proposal  for  doing  so  is  now  before  the  Privy  Council,  an  income  of 
£400  p.  Annum  net,  besides  £50  per  Annum  for  his  Clerk.  He  will 
also  receive  £100  p.  Year  from  the  Province  as  Maltre  des  Postes, 
but  which  in  fact  is  paid  ultimately  by  this  Country,  being  allowed 
in  the  Governor  General's  Accounts  :  however  independent  of  that 
£100  p.  Annum,  he  will  then  be  in  the  receipt  of  £400  p.  Annum 
from  us  net  Money,  free  of  all  deductions  for  managing  an  Internal 
Kevenue  in  America  which  will  not  produce  to  this  Country  at  the 
end  of  the  Year  a  single  shilling  after  paying  the  expence  of  the  Post 
between  Halifax,  through  the  King's  Colonies,  and  Quebec,  besides 
which  this  Office  pays  the  expence  of  four  Packet  boats  which  cost 
upon  the  present  Peace  Establishment  about  £8000  p.  Annum, 
though  the  correspondence  between  Great  Britain  and  America 
does  not  yield  above  £3000  per  Annum. 

The  Commissioners  of  Enquiry  recommend  that  Mr.  Finlay's 
pension  of  £150  a  Year  should  cease,  which  however  We  have  con- 
tinued to  Him,  And  that  his  Salary  only  of  £150  p.  Annum  should 
remain  and  they  do  not  appear  to  have  known  that  exclusive  of  this 
Pension  and  Salary  he  enjoyed  a  former  Commission  from  the  Year 
1774  of  £20  per  Cent  upon  the  net  postage  of  all  Money  received  in 
Canada,  for  which  however  in  our  calculation  We  had  allowed  Him 
£150  per  Annum  though  He  in  his  own  dispatches  assured  us  it 
produced  him  only  £130  per  Annum. 

We  have  shewn  this  letter  to  Mr.  Church  and  Mr.  Callender 
before  it  was  copied  out  fair,  they  have  altered  and  approved  of  it. 
So  that  We  are  now  Sir  communicating  to  you,  not  only  our  own 
sentiments,  but  those  of  the  deputy  Accountant  General  and  Mr. 
Finlay's  own  Agent. 

We  are,  Sir, 

Walsingham, 
Chesterfield. 

The  Right  Hon'".  Henry  Dundass. 

(viii)  The  Clerks  op  the  Road  and  the  Transmission 
OF   Newspapers.^ 

No.  1. 

To  the  R*.  Hono"«.  the  Lord  Com",  of  his  Maj"«.  Treasury. 

May  it  please  your  Lordshipps 

The  Postmaster  Generall  Representation  for  Increasing  the 
Clarks  Salaries. 

'  From  the  British  Official  Records  (undated). 


404  RATES   OF   POSTAGE 

Wee  humbly  lay  before  your  Lo'pps  that  upon  some  Information 
given  the  last  summer  to  the  then  Lords  Justices  as  if  his  Majesties 
Eevenue  of  the  Post  office  was  lessened  by  a  practice  which  had 
been  long  used  of  the  Clarks  of  the  Roads  sending  great  quantitys 
of  Gazetts  and  other  Prints  free  of  postage.  Their  Excellancyes 
thought  fitt  to  lay  the  same  before  his  Maj"®.  who  was  thereupon 
pleased  to  signifie  his  pleasure  to  us  by  the  Lord  Keeper  (now  Lord 
Chancellor)  in  a  Comittee  of  Councell  that  ^his  Majes*'®.  did  not 
think  it  reasonable  that  Practice  should  for  the  future  be  continued 
but  we  acquainting  their  Lordshipps  that  this  having  been  a 
perquisite  constantly  allowed  to  the  six  Clarks  of  the  Roades  on 
consideration  of  the  smalness  of  their  Sallarys  it  would  be  reasonable 
upon  the  taking  of  it  away  to  allow  them  a  compensation  for  the 
same  whereupon  they  told  us  wee  should  lay  that  matter  before 
your  Lordshipps  of  the  Treasury  as  wee  now  doe  and  upon  the 
strictest  enquiry  wee  can  make  the  Case  appears  to  be  as  foUowes. 

Upon  the  first  Establishing  of  the  Post  office  England  was 
divided  into  six  Eoades  and  a  Clark  appointed  to  each  Road  and 
their  Sallaryes  being  but  small  they  were  constantly  allowed  even 
by  the  farmers  themselves  the  privilidge  of  sending  Gazetts  and  some 
other  prints  free,  as  the  business  and  Revenue  of  the  office  increased 
by  setting  up  new  posts  soe  likewise  did  their  perquisites  In  soe 
much  that  complaint  was  made  thereof  to  the  late  King  James  when 
Duke  of  York  who  upon  a  full  examination  into  the  matter  thought 
it  more  adviseable  to  continue  it  as  an  Incouragement  to  them  than 
to  compensate  them  by  an  addition  of  Sallary  and  besides  that  the 
office  hath  considerably  increased  since  wee  came  into  it  the  present 
Juncture  of  affairs  by  the  frequent  and  long  sessions  of  Parliament 
and  the  War  wherein  the  greatest  part  of  this  side  of  the  world  is 
engaged  hath  occationed  peoples  being  more  desirous  of  News  then 
formerly  soe  as  wee  believe  the  postage  of  prints  sent  by  the  six 

Clarkes  may  now  amount  to  about tho  att  the  same  time 

the  Clarkes  does  not  receive  soe  great  an  advantage  by  them  they 
paying  the  first  cost  for  them  and  susteyne  frequent  losses  by  their 
Customers  failing  in  their  paym*.  Now  upon  the  takeing  this 
perquisite  from  them  wee  are  humbly  of  opinion  it  will  be  reasonable 
to  give  them  such  an  equivolent  as  is  conteyned  in  the  skeme  here- 
onto  annexed  for  wee  must  observe  to  your  Lordshipps  that  not  only 
the  improvement  of  the  Revenue  but  all  the  letters  being  duely 
accounted  for  doth  in  a  great  measure  depend  upon  those  officers 
they  being  the  persons  who  make  the  charges  upon  all  the  Post- 
masters of  England  and  the  very  nature  of  the  office  requires  such 
despatch  that  its  scarce  possible  to  contrive  such  Cheque  but  y'  these 
officers  being  in  combination  with  the  Postmasters  may  defraud  hi^ 


APPENDIXES  405 

Majestie  and  therefore  it  does  not  seem  adviseable  that  men  should 
be  under  such  a  temtation  for  want  of  a  due  Incouragement. 

The  attendance  is  alsoe  soe  great  and  at  those  unseasonable  times 
and  houres  as  renders  them  uncapable  of  applyeing  themselves  to 
any  other  business  whereby  to  helpe  to  support  themselves  and 
familys  though  the  Addition  of  Sallary  which  we  have  proposed  doth 
not  amount  to  halfe  so  much  as  the  Postage  of  Prints  now  sent  by 
the  severall  Clarkes  yet  we  cannot  say  his  Majesty  will  be  a  gainer 
thereby  for  it  must  be  considered  y*  many  persons  who  are  now 
furnished  with  them  from  the  Clarkes  for  Two  pence  a  peice  will 
scarce  have  them  if  they  must  pay  a  groat  or  six  pence  a  peice  beside 
the  troubling  some  freind  in  Towne  to  send  them  and  whether  they 
may  not  find  out  some  otherways  of  being  furnished  with  them  then 
by  the  Post  as  by  Flyeing  Coaches  &c*.  or  whether  those  officers  or 
persons  who  have  the  privelidge  of  franking  their  letters  may  not 
hereafter  supply  those  with  such  Prints  as  they  are  now  furnished 
with  from  this  office. 

Whereas  the  business  of  the  office  is  soe  much  increased  that  for 
the  regular  and  due  dispatch  of  the  letters  wee  have  been  forced  to 
appoint  a  Sortor  to  each  Clarke  of  the  Eoad  for  an  assistant  whereby 
their  trouble  and  attendance  is  very  much  greater  then  it  was  and 
being  taken  from  sorting  the  burden  and  trouble  of  the  rest  is 
proportianably  increased  as  there  are  fuer  hands  to  perform  it 
nether  they  or  the  assistant  having  any  other  advantage  or 
perquisites  besides  theire  bare  sallary  of  forty  pounds  a  yeare  which 
is  soe  poor  a  subsistance  that  such  as  have  dyed  since  wee  came  into 
the  office  have  scarce  left  enough  to  bury  them  wee  are  humbly  of 
opinion  this  may  deserve  your  Lordshipps  Consideration  and  soe 
upon  the  whole  matter  though  we  must  acknowledge  it  an  un- 
seasonable time  to  propose  an  increase  of  Sallaryes  which  has 
made  us  defer  it  thus  long  we  could  not  omit  this  oppertunity  of 
doeing  it  and  humbly  hope  if  your  Lordshipps  shall  think  fitt  to 
give  these  poor  men  the  Incouragement  proposed  it  will  tend  very 
much  to  his  Majesty  Service  in  this  office. 

No.  2. 

The  Eight  Honorable  Lord  Walsingham,  and  the  Earl  of  Chester- 
field, His  Majesty's  Post  Master  General. 

The  undersigned  the  Clerks  of  the  Roads  gratefully  considering 
the  Report  made  by  your  Lordships  to  Government  which  re- 
commends for  them  a  Salary  of  Three  Hundred  Pounds  p.  Annum 
with  their  present  privilege  of  franking  Newspapers  unimpaired 
ask  permission  to  submit  to  your  Lordships  Notice  the  following 


406  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

plan  for  increasing  the  circulation  of  Newspapers  and  in  conse- 
quence the  Revenue  arising  from  the  Stamp  duty  probably  to  the 
Amount  of  Eight  thousand  pounds  p.  Annum  though  attended  by 
no  additional  expence  to  Government  but  entirely  at  their  own 
risque  and  which  they  have  determined  immediately  to  execute 
should  your  Lordships  arrangement  take  place. 

They  would  first  premise  that  when  they  were  releived  by  your 
Lordships  from  the  payment  they  formerly  made  to  the  ofl&cers 
in  this  Department  and  from  the  Ofl&ce  which  was  filled  by 
Mr.  Tamineau,  they  reduced  their  charge  from  forty  Pounds  per 
Centum  to  Twenty  &  Twenty  five  Pounds  per  Centum  on  the 
prime  cost  of  the  papers  which  latter  sum  is  the  additional  charge 
now  made  on  the  prime  cost  by  all  the  Stationers  Printers  &  Dealers 
who  serve  the  Country  with  papers,  and  if  in  some  cases  it  be  less, 
it  is  on  account  of  payment  being  made  in  advance. 

They  now  propose  upon  the  Establishment  of  your  Lordships 
Arrangement  to  reduce  the  general  charge  on  the  prime  cost  from 
twenty  and  twenty  five  per  Centum  to  ten  and  fifteen  pounds  per 
Centum,  and  as  all  the  circulators  of  Newspapers  will  now  regulate 
their  charge  for  Newspapers  sold  in  the  Country  by  that  of  the 
Clerks  of  the  Roads,  the  charge  fixed  by  the  Clerks  will  be  the 
general  one  in  the  course  of  Six  Months  from  its  commencement. 

This  reduction  will  cause  a  greater  demand  for  Newspapers  in 
the  Country  many  who  now  take  a  Weekly  paper  will  then  take  a 
three  day  paper  &  many  who  now  take  a  three  day  paper  will  then 
take  a  six  day  paper  and  two  Persons  who  now  join  the  expence 
of  a  Weekly  or  a  three  day  paper  may  be  induced  by  the  reasonable 
charge  to  take  each  a  paper  or  increase  the  number  as  above,  and 
as  the  reduction  becomes  generally  known  which  by  the  means  of 
their  Agents  the  Post  Masters  and  other  correspondents  through- 
out Great  Britain  &  Ireland  it  can  be  in  fourteen  days,  the  Stationers 
Printers  and  Dealers  must  likewise  lessen  their  charge  or  risk  the 
loss  of  their  Customers. 

By  abolishing  the  monopoly  once  enjoyed  by  the  Clerks  in  the 
Offices  of  the  Secretaries  of  State,  and  the  Clerks  of  the  Roads  in 
this  Office,  permitting  the  Public  to  send  and  receive  Newspapers 
free,  the  number  increased  as  this  circumstance  became  known 
from — 20,967  to  78,217  weekly  and  it  is  by  confirming  this  liberty 
to  the  Public  and  by  a  reduction  in  the  charge  that  the  circulation 
of  Newspapers  and  consequently  the  increase  of  Revenue  is  intended 
to  be  promoted.  The  probable  increase  in  the  number  of  News- 
papers circulated  in  the  Country  through  the  above  reduced  price 
may  be  stated  at  the  lowest  computation  at  one  half  penny  each 
upon  one  hundred  Newspapers  each  Clerk  of  the  Road,  one  hundred 


APPENDIXES  401 

each  of  the  twenty  principal  Stationers  &  Dealers  and  for  the  more 
inconsiderable  Dealers  which  are  very  numerous  fifty  of  whom  are 
known  Four  hundred  papers  by  every  poste,  which  together  will 
make  the  additional  number  circulated  every  Post  three  thousand. 

By  preserving  the  privelege  of  franking  to  the  Clerks  of  the  Eoads 
a  competition  will  be  occasioned  between  them  &  the  other  Dealers, 
the  Public  will  be  supplied  on  more  moderate  terms,  and  an  increase 
of  consumption  will  be  promoted  but  should  this  competition  be 
destroyed  by  the  abolition  of  the  privelege  of  the  Clerks  of  the  Roads, 
the  principal  Dealers  purchasing  the  business  carried  on  by  less 
extensive  circulation  might  thereby  occasion  a  monopoly  and  then 
fix  the  price  as  it  might  suit  their  private  interest  and  diminish  the 
number  of  Newspapers  circulated  thereby  greatly  injuring  the  Revenue 
as  formerly  by  the  monopoly  of  the  Clerks  of  the  Secretaries  of 
State  and  the  Clerks  of  the  Roads  for  it  would  be  the  interest 
of  the  Stationers  and  other  Dealers  as  it  was  that  of  the  Clerks 
under  Government  to  sell  a  less  number  at  an  advanced  price,  the 
Capital  employed  would  not  be  so  large  nor  the  trouble  nor  the 
risk  so  great. 

The  Clerks  of  the  Roads  here  beg  your  Lordships  attention  to  a 
proposal  which  there  is  no  doubt  will  occasion  a  yet  further  increase 
of  circulation  of  Newspapers,  it  has  been  before  stated  to  your  Lord- 
ships in  the  Report  upon  the  Plan  proposed  by  the  Commissioners 
relative  to  a  Tax  on  Newspapers  that  before  the  duty  of  one  penny 
postage  was  laid  on  all  Newspapers  sent  by  Post  to  Ireland,  the 
Weekly  number  remitted  to  that  Kingdom  was  upon  an  Average 
8,000,  and  that  the  Weekly  number  now  sent  upon  an  average  is 
only  1,380,  should  Government  consent  to  repeal  this  duty  it  is 
evident  from  the  above  statement  that  they  would  gain  a  con- 
siderable Sum  the  Clerks  of  the  Roads  will  with  pleasure  make  a 
considerable  reduction  in  their  charge  to  Ireland,  as  in  the  case 
of  home  consumption  which  will  be  a  means  of  still  further 
extending  of  circulation. 


Number  of  Newspapers  which  passed  through  the  General  Post 
Office  London  between  the  6th  April  1764,  and  the  5th  of  April 
1765,  with  the  amount  at  two  pence  each  Stamp  duty, 

London  Newspapers  1,090,289       . .         . .         £9,085  .  14  .  10 


1764 

and 

1790 

compared. 


Number  of  Newspapers  which  passed  through  the  General  Post 
Office  London  between  the  5th  of  January  1790  and  the  5th  of 
January  1791,  with  the  amount  at  two  pence  each  Stamp  duty, 

London  Newspapers  . .  3,944,093 

Country       ditto.         ..      123,200 

Total  No.       . .  4,067,293      . .         . .  £33,894  .2.2 


408 


RATES  OF  POSTAGE 


Probable 

gain  by 

this  plan. 


1780 

and 

1790 

to 

Ireland 

compared. 


f  Six  Clerks  of  the  Eoads  at  100  each  night         600 

Twenty  Principal  dealers  at  100    do 2,000 

Fifty  less  Dealers  at  8  each  night  . .      400 


w  3,000  each  night  at  two  pence  each  Stamp  duty 
To  Ireland  before  the  Tax. 


No.  3,000 
£7,800  p.  ann. 


Number  of  Newspapers  which  passed  through  the  General  Post 
Office  to  Ireland  between  the  5th  January  1780  and  the  5th  January 
1781  at  two  pence  each  Stamp  duty, 

416,000 £3,466  .  13  .  4 

To  Ireland  since  the  Tax. 

Number  of  Newspapers  which  passed  through  the  General  Post 
Office  to  Ireland  between  the  5th  January  1790  and  the  5th  of 
January  1791  at  two  pence  each  Stamp  duty  and  one  penny  each 
Postage, 

71,766  £897  .1.6 


Edmund  Barnes 
Isaac  Henry  Cabanes 
William  Ogilvy 


Charles  Coltson 
Samuel  Ardron 
Charles  Evans. 


No.  3. 

To   The   Eight   Honorable   Lord   Walsingham    and    The   Earl    of 
Chesterfield,    His   Majesty's   Post  Master  General. 

The  paper  from  the  Post  Master  General  relative  to  the  Tax 
proposed  by  the  Commissioners  having  been  communicated  to  the 
Clerks  of  the  Eoads  and  the  Inspector  of  Franks  they  beg  per- 
mission to  offer  the  subsequent  observations. 

That  the  proposal  by  the  Commissioners  for  Government  to 
receive  a  Tax  of  a  penny  for  the  postage  of  each  Newspaper  passing 
through  the  Post  Office,  however  eligible  it  might  appear  at  the 
time  it  was  first  proposed,  will  not  they  believe  at  this  period,  be 
productive  of  that  expected  advantage  to  the  public  the  encrease 
of  Ee venue,  as  the  reasons  annexed  among  others  may  probably 
prove. 

Because  since  the  proposal  was  made  to  the  Commissioners,  and 
they  made  their  Report  an  additional  Stamp  has  been  imposed  of 
one  halfpenny  a  paper,  and  another  halfpenny  on  each  has  been 
added  by  the  Printers,  so  that  the  Public  now  pay  one  penny  more 
than  they  did  at  that  time. 

Because  the  proposed  Tax  would  be  a  means  of  compelling  the 
Stationers,  Printers  and  Dealers  to  send  their  papers  by  Coach  the 
same   day   at   the   customary   charge   of   one   farthing   each  paper 


APPENDIXES  409 

instead  of  sending  them  by  post  on  Government  Account  at  a 
penny  the  second  day.  And  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  a  number 
of  persons  many  of  them  of  considerable  property  would  quietly 
submit  to  have  the  circulation  of  their  papers  confined  to  post 
conveyance  at  one  penny  each  paper,  without  those  serious  efforts 
to  oppose  and  prevent  it  which  the  prospect  of  certain  and  total 
ruin  to  their  business  and  consequently  to  their  Families  must 
excite. 

But  allowing  it  were  possible  to  confine  the  whole  of  the  papers 
sold  in  the  Country  to  post  conveyance  and  a  recompence  made 
to  those  Stationers  and  Printers  employed  in  the  distribution  at 
present  would  not  the  encreased  price  occasioned  by  this  Tax  very 
much  diminish  the  Number  of  Newspapers  now  printed  to  the 
great  injury  of  the  Stamp  duty?  probably  to  a  greater  Amount 
than  would  be  gained  by  the  plan  proposed.  For  were  the  Stage 
Coaches  prohibited  conveying  Newspapers  all  the  Morning  Papers 
now  conveyed  by  them  to  many  parts  of  the  Kingdom  would  be 
lost  to  the  Stamp  Revenue,  and  all  the  Morning  Papers  read  at 
the  Coffee  Houses  and  other  public  Houses,  would  be  collected 
by  the  Newsmen  at  a  small  sum  each  paper  in  the  Afternoon 
and  sent  into  the  Country  by  the  post  in  the  Evening  without 
the  least  trouble  to  themselves,  it  being  their  daily  business  to 
go  round  their  London  district,  early  in  the  Morning,  and  in  the 
Afternoon  before  the  dispatch  of  the  Papers  by  the  post. 

Before  the  Penny  postage  was  laid  on  all  papers  sent  by  post  to 
Ireland  the  Weekly  number  remitted  to  that  Kingdom  was  upon  an 
Average  8,000 :  the  Number  now  sent  upon  an  Average  is  only 
1,380   Weekly. 

Because  when  the  Tax  was  recommended  by  the  Commissioners  the 
first  cost  of  a  London  Newspaper  was  threepence  only,  the  first  cost 
is  now  fourpence,  to  which  add  the  Tax  for  postage  it  will  be  five- 
pence  to  any  Post  Town  in  England,  which  is  one  halfpenny  more 
than  the  highest  charge  now  made  by  any  Dealer  in  the  Country  for 
a  London  Newspaper.  But  should  this  Tax  take  place  the  people 
who  live  at  a  distance  from  any  Post  Town  must  pay  an  additional 
halfpenny  a  Paper  and  some  twopence  on  the  receipt  of  each  Paper 
which  will  bring  the  cost  to  fivepence  halfpenny,  some  sixpence,  and 
some  as  high  as  sevenpence  each  London  Newspaper.  This  high 
price  the  Clerks  of  the  Roads  well  know  by  experience  would  induce 
many  people  to  take  only  a  three  day  paper  who  now  take  a  Six  day 
paper  and  many  who  now  take  a  three  day  paper  only  a  weekly 
paper,  and  as  the  Salaries  of  the  Clerks  of  the  Roads  employed  in  the 
business  would  be  certain  and  no  way  answerable  for  any  loss  on 
the  papers  would  there  not  be  a  great  many  people  Customers  no 


410  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

way  able  to  pay  for  their  Newspapers  many  of  whora  this  mode 
of  business  would  certainly  introduce?  consequently  Government 
would  be  subject  to  several  deficiencies  in  payment  for  Newspapers 
sent  into  the  Country  whether  paid  for  half  yearly,  yearly,  or  each 
paper  on  delivery,  the  Eeceiver  in  the  latter  case  would  not  feel  him- 
self obliged  to  give  notice  for  his  paper  to  be  discontinued  but  would 
refuse  it  when  offered,  the  cost  of  the  paper  would  then  be  lost 
to  Government.  This  latter  mode  of  payment  would  give  an 
opportunity  to  the  Deputy  Post  Masters  or  their  Clerks  to  Order 
more  papers  than  actually  required  which  after  being  read  would 
be  returned  with  the  Quarterly  Dead  Letters  to  be  allowed  as 
refused  or  gone  away. 

Because  the  proposed  Tax  would  cause  a  decided  preference  of 
Country  Newspapers  to  those  of  London  encrease  the  sale  of  the 
former  and  diminish  that  of  the  latter  for  as  very  few  of  the 
Country  Newspapers  pass  through  the  Post  Office,  the  Country 
Printers  would  be  enabled  to  undersell  the  London  Printers  a 
penny  a  paper.  The  usual  method  with  a  Country  Printer  is 
immediately  upon  the  arrival  of  his  London  paper  to  print  his 
own  with  the  London  News  and  disperse  them  to  Eunners  from 
ten  to  fifteen  miles  around  the  Town  he  resides  in ;  these  Eunners 
not  only  disperse  a  considerable  quantity  of  Newspapers  but  carry 
also  letters  which  must  materially  injure  the  Eevenue. 

Because  notwithstanding  the  Eevenue  to  be  raised  by  this  Tax 
is  very  uncertain  the  conduct  and  management  of  it  will  be  attended 
with  much  expence  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  those  deeply  inter- 
ested in  its  success  the  greater  Burden  will  fall  upon  the  Deputy 
Post  Masters  in  the  Country ;  the  Country  Newspapers  when  they 
arrive  cannot  be  dispersed  without  a  direction  being  numerous,  the 
Deputies  will  no  doubt  expect  an  increase  of  Salary  adequate  to  the 
business  imposed  on  them ;  this  it  is  conceived  will  bring  a  fresh 
expence  upon  Government.  In  most  large  Towns  two  additional 
Assistants  to  the  Post  Master  will  be  necessary  one  at  £30  and  the 
other  at  £20  per  Annum,  it  will  also  materially  delay  (in  most  of 
the  Post  Towns)  the  delivery  of  the  letters  by  the  time  it  will 
necessarily  take  in  selecting  folding  and  directing  the  Papers; 
allowing  the  same  time  to  a  Post  Master  and  his  Assistants  as  it 
takes  herewith  the  same  number  of  hands  to  dispatch  them  in  the 
Post  Office,  the  delay  in  many  large  Towns  will  be  from  one  to 
two  hours. 

The  Clerks  of  the  Eoads  not  having  received  any  recompence 
whatever  for  the  losses  sustained  by  the  Act  of  1764  which 
abolished  their  then  privelege  of  franking  letters  and  gave  to  the 
Public   liberty   to   send    and    receive    Newspapers   etc.   free   by   a 


APPENDIXES  411 

permit  from  Peers  and  Members  of  Parliament  to  the  great  diminu- 
tion of  their  Sale  of  Papers;  and  by  the  further  extension  of  this 
liberty  to  the  Public  to  send  and  receive  them  free  under  the 
Sanction  of  a  Peer  or  Member's  name  without  the  usual  permit; 
and  by  the  Separation  of  the  Irish  from  the  English  Office,  would 
certainly  consider  themselves  intitled  by  Justice  to  a  sufficient 
recompence  for  their  Lives  were  the  privelege  now  remaining  to 
them  taken  away. 

The  rest  of  the  Officers  in  the  Inland  department  who  have 
always  been  told  to  look  up  to  a  Clerkship  of  the  Road  as  a  reward 
for  their  long  Services  would  also  consider  themselves  entitled  to 
larger  salaries  were  the  privelege  of  Franking  Newspapers  by  the 
Six  Clerks  of  the  Roads  further  restricted  or  abolished. 

Number  of  News  Papers  which  passed  through  the  General  Post 
Office  London  between  the  5th  January  1790  and  the  5th  January 
1791  with  the  amount  at  one  penny  each — 

London  Newspapers    3,944,093         . .         . .        £16,433.  14.  6. 
Country  „  123,200        ..         ..        &     513.    6.  8. 


4,067,293  £16,947.    1.  1. 

Edmund  Barnes  Charles  Coltson 

Isaac  Henry  Cabanes  Saml  Ardron 

William  Ogilvy  Charles  Evans. 


APPENDIX    C 

LIST    OF    AUTHORITIES 

UNITED   KINGDOM 

Allen,  Ealph.     A  Narrative  of  Mr.  Allen's  Transactions  with  the 

Government  for  the  Better  Management  of  the  Bye,  Way, 

and  Cross  Eoad  Posts.     1761  (pub.  London,  1897.     Vide 

infra,  Ogilvie,  A.  M.  J.). 
Andrews,     Alexander.       The     History    of    British    Journalism. 

London,  1859. 
Baines,  F.  E.    Forty  Years  at  the  Post  Office.     London,  1895. 
Beadon,  E.  J.     Uniform  Imperial  Postage.     London,  1891. 
Bennett,  Edward.     The  Post  Office  and  its  Story.     London,  1912. 
Bowie,  A.  G.     The  Eomance  of  the  British  Post  Office.     London, 

1897. 
Bruce,  Sir  Egbert,  C.B.     Postal  Organisation,  with  special  refer- 
ence to  the  London  Postal  Service.     London,  1912. 
Cole,  Sir  Henry.     Fifty  Years  of  Public  Work.     London,  1884. 
Collet,  C.  D.    History  of  the  Taxes  on  Knowledge.    London,  1899. 
CoRRiE,  John  M.    The  Dumfries  Post  Office,  1642-1910.    Dumfries, 

1912. 
D'AvENANT,  William.     Discourses  on  the  Publick  Eevenues  and 

on  the  Trade  of  England.     London,  1698. 
De-Laune,  Tho.     The  Present  State  of  London.     London,  1681. 
Harris,  Stanley.     Old  Coaching  Days.     London,  1882. 
Heaton,  J.  Henniker.     Postal  and  Telegraphic  Communications  of 

the  Empire.     London,  1888. 
Postal  Eeform.     London,  1890. 
Hemmeon,  J.  C,  Ph.D.     The  History  of  the  British  Post  Office. 

Harvard  Economic  Studies,  vol.  vii.     Harvard  University, 

Cambridge,  Mass.,  1912. 
Hendy,  J.  G.     The  History  of  the  Early  Postmarks  of  the  British 

Isles.     London,  1905. 
Hill,  Frederick.     An  Autobiography  of  Fifty  Years  in  Times  of 

Eeform.     London,  1893. 

412 


APPENDIXES  413 

Hill,  John.     A  Penny  Post :  or  a  Vindication  of  the  Liberty  and 

Birthright  of   every  Englishman   in   Carrying   Merchants 

and  other  Men's  Letters,  against  any  restraint  of  Farmers 

of  such  Employments.     London,  1659. 
Hill,  Pearson.     The  Origin  of  Postage  Stamps.     London,  1890. 
Hill,   Sir   Eowland.     Post   Office   Reform  :  Its   Importance  and 

Practicability.     London,  1837. 
On  the  Collection  of  Postage  by  Means  of  Stamps.     London, 

1839. 
The  State  and  Prospects  of  Penny  Postage.     London,  1844. 
Results  of  Postal  Reform.     London,  1864. 
Life  of  Sir  Rowland  Hill,  K.C.B.,  etc.,  and  History  of  Penny 

Postage,   by  Sir  Rowland   Hill  and  his  Nephew,   George 

Birkbeck  Hill.  D.C.L.     2  vols.     London,  1880. 
HoRNE,   L.  T.     Postal   Communications   of   the   Empire.     British 

Empire  Series,  vol.  v.     London,  1902. 
Hunt,  P.  Knight.     The  Fourth  Estate  :    Contributions  towards  a 

History  of  Newspapers  and  of   the  Liberty  of  the  Press. 

London,  1850. 
HuRCOMB,  C.  W.     The  Posts  under  the  Tudors.     The  Antiquary, 

1914. 
Hyde,    J.  W.     The  Royal   Mail :    Its   Curiosities  and  Romance. 

London,  1889. 
The  Early  History  of  the  Post  in  Grant  and  Farm.     London, 

1894. 
Joyce,  Herbert,   C.B.     The  History  of   the  Post  Office  from  its 

Establishment  down  to  1836.     London,  1893. 
Lang,  T.  B.     Historical  Summary  of  the  Post  Office  in  Scotland. 

Edinburgh,  1856. 
Lewins,  W.     Her  Majesty's  Mails.     London,  1864. 
Macpherson,  David.     Annals  of  Commerce.     London,  1805. 
MuRCH,  Jerom.     Ralph  Allen,  John  Palmer,  and  the  English  Post 

Office.     London,  1880. 
Norway,  A.  H.     The  Post  Office  Packet  Service.     London,  1895. 
Ogilvie,  a.  M.  J.     Ralph  Allen's  Bye,  Way,  and  Cross  Road  Posts. 

London,  1897. 
Article    on    the    "Post    Office"    in    Dictionary    of   Political 

Economy.     London,  1908. 
Peach,  R.  E.  M.     The  Life  and  Times  of  Ralph  Allen.     London, 

1895. 
Raikes,  H.  St.  J.     Life  and  Letters  of  H.  C.  Raikes.     London,  1898. 
Smyth,   Eleanor   C.     Sir   Rowland   Hill :    The   Story  of  a  Great 

Reform.     London,  1907. 
Stephen,  Lbshb.     Life  of  Henry  Fawcett.     London,  1885. 


414  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

STOWi  John.     A  Survey  of  the  Cities  of  London  and  Westminster. 
London,  1720. 

Swift,  H.  G.     A  History  of  Postal  Agitation.     London,  1900. 

Symon,  J.  D.     The  Press  and  its  Story.     London,  1914. 

Tegg,   William,    F.R.H.S.      Posts    and    Telegraphs.      Past    and 
Present.     London,  1878. 

Tombs,  R.  C.     The  King's  Post.     Bristol,  1905. 
The  Bristol  Royal  Mail.     Bristol  (undated). 

Webb,  Sidney  and  Beatrice.     The  Story  of  the  King's  Highway. 
London,  1913. 

Williams,  J.  B.     A  History  of  English  Journalism.     London,  1908. 

Wilson,  John.     History  of  the  Birmingham  Post  Office.     Birming- 
ham Weekly  Mercury,  October,  1899. 

The  Practical  Method  of  the  Penny  Post.     London,  1681. 

The  Administration    of   the  Post  Office  from  the   Introduction  of 

Mr.    Rowland     Hill's    Plan    of    Penny    Postage    up    to    the 

Present  Time.     London,   1844. 
The  Post  Office  of  Fifty  Years  Ago.     London,  1890. 
Celebration    of   the   Jubilee    of   Uniform    Inland    Penny  Postage. 

London,  1891. 
Records  of  the  Life  of  S.  A.  Blackwood.     London,  1896. 


Periodicals. 

Notes  and  Queries,  1st  series,  vol.  iii ;  10th  series.  No.  141. 

Quarterly  Review,  1839. 

Edinburgh  Review,  1840. 

Chambers's  Journal,  vol.  vii. 

The  Postmen's  Gazette.     London. 

The  Postal  Clerks'  Herald.     Wolverhampton. 

The  Telegraph  Chronicle.     London. 

The  Postal  and  Telegraph  Record.     Manchester. 

Telephone  Journal.     London. 

St.  Martin 's-le-Grand  Magazine.     London. 

Parliamentary  and  Official  Papers. 

Tenth  Report  of  the  Commissioners  appointed  by  Act  of  Parliament 
to  inquire  into  the  Fees,  Gratuities,  Perquisites,  and  Emolu- 
ments, which  are  or  have  been  lately  received  in  the  several 
Public  Offices  therein  mentioned.     1788. 

Report  of  the  Committee  on  Mr.  Palmer's  Agreement.     1797. 

Twentieth    and    Twenty- first    Reports    of    the    Commissioners   of 


APPENDIXES  415 

Inquiry  into  the  Collection  and  Management  of  the  Revenue 

arising  in  Ireland  and  Great  Britain.     1830. 
The  Ten  Reports  of  the  Commissioners  for  Inquiry  into  the  Mode 

of   Conducting   the  Business   of   the   Post  Office  Department. 

1834-38. 
The  Three  Reports  from  the  Select  Committee  on  Postage      1838. 
Report  from  Committee  on  the  Conveyance  of  Mails  by  Railway. 

1838. 
Report  from  Select  Committee  on  Postage.     1843. 
Report  from  Secret  Committee  of  House  of  Commons  on  the  Post 

Office.     1844. 
Report  from  Secret  Committee  of  House  of  Lords  on  the  Post  Office. 

1844. 
Report  from  the  Select  Committee  on  Newspaper  Stamps.     18th 

July,  1851. 
Report  of  the  Select  Committee  on  Contract  Packets,  1853. 
Report  of  the  Royal  Commission  on  Railways,  7th  May,  1867. 
Report  from   Select   Committee   on   Railway   Amalgamations,  etc. 

1873. 
Report   of   the   Select   Committee   on    Estimates   of  the   Revenue 

Departments.     1888. 
Post  Office  Wages.     Report  of  Tweedmouth  Committee,  1896. 
Post  Office  Wages.     Report  of  Bradford  Committee,  1904. 
Report  of  Select  Committee   on   Post   Office   Servants  (Hobhouse 

Committee),  1907. 
The  Post  Office:  An  Historical  Summary.     London,  1911. 
Report  of  Select  Committee  on  Post  Office  Servants  (Holt  Committee), 

1914. 
Statement  showing  the  Proposed  Increases  in  Postal,  Telegraph,  and 

Telephone  Charges,  1915  (Cd.  8,067). 
First   Report   of   the   Committee   on   Retrenchment   in  the  Public 

Expenditure,  1915  (Cd.  8,068). 
Reports  of  the  Postmaster-General  on  the  Post  Office.     Annually 

(from  1854-5). 
Official  Records  of  the  British  Post  Office. 

CoBBETT,  William.     The  Parhamentary  History  of  England,  from 

the  Earliest  Years  to  1803. 
ScoBELL,  Henry.     A  Collection  of  Acts  and  Ordinances.     London, 

1658. 

Calendars  of  State  Papers. 

Royal  Commission  on  Historical  Manuscripts. — Reports, 

Hansard's  Parliamentary  Debates. 


416  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

CANADA 

Eeport  of  the  Special  Committee  of  the  House  of  Assembly  on  the 

Post   Office   Department   of  the  Province  of   Lower   Canada. 

February  11,  1832. 
Lower  Canada.     Eeport  of  the  Special  Committee  of  the  House  of 

Assembly  on  the  Present  Condition  of  the  Post  Office  Depart- 
ment.    March  8,  1836. 
Eeport  of  the  Special  Committee  of  the  Legislative  Council  of  Lower 

Canada  on  the  Bill  intitled  "  An  Act  to  establish  a  Post  Office 

in  this  Province,  etc."     March  15,  1836. 
Eeport  of  a  Select  Committee  of  the  Legislative  Council  of   the 

Province  of  Upper  Canada  upon  the  Post  Office.     February  17, 

1837. 
Eeport  on  Affairs  in  British  North  America,  by  the  Earl  of  Durham. 

1840. 
Eeport  of  the  Commissioners  appointed  to  Inquire  into  the  Affairs 

of  the  Post  Office  in  British  North  America.     December  31, 

1841. 
Eeport  of  a  Committee  of  the  Executive  Council  of  Canada  on  the 

Post  Office.     June  10,  1848. 
Correspondence  on  the  Subject  of  the  Establishment  of  a  General 

Post  Office  System  in  the  British  Provinces  of  North  America. 

Montreal,  February  27,  1849.     (Appendix  B.B.B.,  8th  volume 

of  Journals  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Canada.) 
Eeport  of  the  Eailway  Service  Commissioners.     Quebec,  March  29, 

1865. 
Canada  Official  Postal  Guide. 
Debates   and   Proceedings   in   Dominion    Parliament,   reported   in 

Ottawa  Times. 
Hansard.    Official  Eeports  of  the  Debates  of  the  House  of  Commons 

and  of  the  Senate  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 

KiNGSFORD,  William.     The  History  of  Canada.     London,  1890. 
Hendy,  J.  G.     Early  Posts  in  Canada.     Empire  Beview,  London, 
1903-4,  vols.  iv.  and  vi. 


UNITED   STATES 

Bancroft,  George.  History  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
New  York,  1883-5. 

Burrows,  Charles  William.  One-Cent  Letter  Postage,  Second- 
Class  Mail  Eates,  and  Parcels  Post.    Cleveland,  Ohio,  1911, 

Franklin,  Benjamin.     Autobiography.     London,  1908. 


APPENDIXES  417 

Leavitt,  Joshua  (Corresponding  Secretary,  Cheap  Postage  Associa- 
tion).    Cheap  Postage.     Boston,  Mass.,  1848. 

Leech,  D.  D.  T.,  and  Nicholson,  W.  L.  The  Post  OfiBce  Depart- 
ment of  the  United  States  of  America;  its  History, 
Organization,  and  Working.     Washington,  D.C.,  1879. 

Newcomb,  H.  T.     The  Postal  Deficit.     Washington,  D.C.,  1900. 

Nicholson,  W.  L.     Vide  Leech,  D.  D.  T. 

NoEVELL,  S.  Parcel  Post.  Address  at  Atlantic  City,  N.J., 
November  16,  1911. 

Phelps,  E.  M.  Selected  Articles  on  the  Parcels  Post.  Minneapolis, 
1911. 

Seitz,  Don  C.  (Chairman,  American  Newspaper  Publishers'  Asso- 
ciation). Statement  before  Commission  on  Second-Class 
Mail  Matter.     New  York,  1911. 

Slack,  Stanley  I.  (Cm-ator  of  the  Postal  Museum).  A  Brief 
History  of  the  Postal  Service.     Omaha  (undated). 

Williams,  Nathan  B.  The  American  Post  Office.  A  Discussion 
of  its  History,  Development,  and  Present-Day  Eelation  to 
Express  Companies.     Washington,  D.C.,  1910. 

Woolley,  Mary  E.  The  Early  History  of  the  Colonial  Post  Office, 
Providence,  E.I.,  1894. 

History  of  the  Kailway  Mail  Service.     Columbia  Correspondence 

College.     Washington,  D.C.,  1903. 
International  Parcels  Post.     Some  Serious  Errors  Corrected,  1912. 

Document  H.E.  6171.1.6,  Library  of  Congress. 
Beport  to  Members  of  the  American  Weekly  Publishers'  Association 

of  Proceedings  before  the  Postal  Commission  on  Second-Class 

Mail  Matter.     New  York,  1906. 
The  Private  Profit  Railway  versus  The  Public  Service  Post  Office. 

Postal  Progress  League  (1908). 
An  Argument  on  Second-Class    Postal  Rates   from   the  Busineea 

Side  Alone.     Submitted  to  the  Postal  Commission  on  behalf 

of  the   Periodical   Publishers'  Association   of   America.     New 

York,  1911. 
An  Answer  to  the  Statement  of  the  Post  Office  Department  showing 

the  estimates  by  which  the  cost  of  transporting  and  handling 

the   several   classes   of    Mail   was   obtained.      The   Periodical 

Publishers'  Association  of  America.     New  York,  1911. 
The  Answer  of  the  Magazines  and  their  Demand.     New  York,  1911. 
Progress   of  the   Contest   for  a  Free,  Untrammelled,  Independent 

Public  Press  in  the  United  States.     Address  delivered  before 

the  Periodical  Publishers'   Association  of  America  (April   17, 

1912). 

28 


418  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

Mail-Carrying  Kailways  Underpaid.    A  Statement  by  the  Committee 
on  Kailway  Mail  Pay.     New  York,  1912. 

CONGKESSIONAL    AND    OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

Eeport  of  Committee  on  Eates  of  Pay  for  Carrying  the  Mails  on 

Eailroad  Eoutes  (1884). 
Orders  and  Decisions  relative  to  Eailroad  Mail  Matter  (1897). 
A  Brief  Comparison  of  the  Postal  Facilities  of  Great  Britain  and  the 

United  States  (1899). 
Eeport  of  the  Postal  Committee  of  the  National  Board  of  Trade 

(1900). 
Eailway  Mail  Pay.     Eeport  of  Joint  Commission  to  Investigate  the 

Postal  Service  (1901). 
Eecord   of   Weight  (July  1-December    31,    1906)  of    Second-Class 

Mail  Matter  (1907). 
Eeport  of  Postal  Commission  on  Second-Class  Mail  Matter  (1907). 
Eeport  of  Special  Weighings  of  the  Mails  of  1907  (1908). 
Preliminary  Eeport  of  Joint  Commission  on  Business  Method  of 

Post  Ofi&ce  Department  and  Postal  Service  (1908). 
Data  relative  to  Proposed  Extension  of  Parcel  Post  (1908). 
Cost  of   Transporting   and   Handling  the  Several  Classes   of   Mail 

Matter  (1909). 
Hearings  before  the  Committee  on  the  Post-Office  and  Post-Eoads 

of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  on  Second-Class  Mail  (1910). 


1911. 

Instructions  to  Publishers  in  the  Preparation  of  Second-Class 
Matter  for  Mailing  and  Dispatch  (May  1). 

Information  issued  by  the  Second  Assistant  Postmaster-General 
relative  to  the  Transportation  of  Mails  by  Eailroad. 

Letter  from  Postmaster-General  submitting  a  Eeport  giving  Eesults 
of  the  Inquiry  as  to  the  Operation  Eeceipts  and  Expenditures 
of  Eailroad  Companies  Transporting  the  Mails,  and  recommend- 
ing Legislation  on  the  Subject  (August  15). 

Hearings  of  the  Commission  on  Second-Class  Mail  Matter : — 

Statements  on  behalf  of  the  Post  Of&ce  Department  (August  1). 
Supplemental  Statement  on  behalf  of  the  Post  0£Qce  Depart- 
ment (September  14). 
Supplemental  Statement  on  behalf  of  the  Post  Office  Depart- 
ment (October  20  and  21). 
Memorandum  filed  on    behalf  of    the   Publishers  of  Certain 
Magazines. 


APPENDIXES  419 

Memorandum  on  behalf  of  the  Post  Office  Department  in 
Reply  to  "  Memorandum  filed  on  behalf  of  the  Publishers 
of  Certain  Magazines  "  (October  28). 

Supplemental  Memorandum  filed  on  behalf  of  the  Publishers 
of  Certain  Magazines. 

Memorandum  on  behalf  of  the  Post  Office  Department  in 
Reply  to  "  Supplemental  Memorandum  filed  on  behalf  of 
the  Publishers  of  Certain  Magazines  "  (November  27). 

1912. 

Hearings  before  the  Sub-Committee  on  Parcel  Post  of  the  Senate 
Committee  on  Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads. 

Parcel  Post  in  Foreign  Countries  (prepared  under  the  direction  of 
Hon.  Jonathan  Bourne,  Jun.,  Chairman  of  the  Senate  Com- 
mittee on  Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads). 

Hearings  before  the  Committee  on  Expenditure  in  the  Post  Office 
Department — Rural  Delivery  Service. 

Parcel  Post.  Speech  of  Hon.  David  J.  Lewis,  of  Maryland,  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  (February  2). 

Message  of  President  transmitting  Annual  Report  of  the  Postmaster- 
General  and  Report  of  the  Commission  on  Second-Class  Mail 
Matter  (February  22). 

Postal  Express  as  a  Solution  of  the  Parcel  Post  and  High  Cost  of 
Living  Problems,  by  Hon.  David  J.  Lewis,  Member  of  Congress 
(March  5). 

The  Parcel  Post  and  Postal  Express  Situation  in  Congress.  Letter 
to  the  People  of  the  United  States  by  Hon.  Obadiah  Gardner, 
United  States  Senator  from  the  State  of  Maine  (April  4). 

Postal  Express :  Report  from  the  Committee  on  Interstate  and 
Foreign  Commerce  (April  25). 

Alphabetical  Scheme  of  New  York  for  use  of  Publishers  in  the 
Distribution  of  Second-Class  Mail  (May). 

Hearings  before  Senate  Committee  on  Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads 
re  Transportation  of  Periodical  Second-Class  Mail  Matter  by 
Freight  (June  5-11). 

Report  on  Post  Office  Appropriation  Bill  from  Senate  Committee  on 
Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads  (July  23). 

Parcel  Post  Bill.  Speech  by  Hon.  David  J.  Lewis  in  House  ol 
Representatives  (August  19). 

Post  Office  Appropriations  Act  (containing  authority  for  establish- 
ment of  Inland  Parcel  Post). 

The  Postal  Laws  and  Regulations  pertaining  to  the  Second  Clasa 
of  Mail  Matter  (October.) 


420  RATES   OF  POSTAGE 

The  Lewis  Publishing  Company  v.  The  Post  Office  Department. 
Brief  for  the  Post  Office  Department  (November  19). 

1913. 
Parcel  Post  Eegulations. 

Interstate  Commerce  Commission :  In  the  Matter  of  Express  Bates, 
Practices,  Accounts,  and  Eevenues.     Opinion  No.  1967. 

Eeports  of  the  Postmaster-General  on  the  Post  Office.     Annually. 
Abstract  of  Laws  passed  between  1792  and  1910,  fixing  the  Eates  of 

Postage  on  Newspapers  and  other  Periodical  Publications  when 

sent  in  the  Domestic  Mails. 
Abstract  of  Laws  passed  between  1792  and  1910  fixing  Eates  of 

Postage  on  Domestic  Mail  Matter. 
Journals  of  Congress.     Philadelphia,  1781-2. 
Journals  of  the  Continental  Congress.    Philadelphia,  1774-89  (pub. 

Washington,  D.C.,  1904). 
Gales  and  Seaton's  Eegister  of  Debates  in  Congress.     Washington, 

D.C.,  1825. 
The  Debates  and  Proceedings  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

Gales  and  Seaton,  Washington,  D.C.,  1849. 
Abridgement  of  "Debates  of    Congress,  from   1789  to  1856.     New 

York,  1861. 
Congressional  Globe.     Washington,  D.C. 
Congressional  Eecord.     Washington,  D.C. 
The  Postal  Laws  and  Eegulations  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Washington,  D.C,  1912. 

FEANCE 

Belloc,  a.     Les  Postes  fran9aises.     Paris,  1886. 

Beenede,  Charles.     Des  Postes  en  g^nerale,   et  particulierement 

en  Prance.     Nantes,  1826. 
Bonnet,  Edgar.     Importance  des  Postes  et  Tel^graphes  au  point 

de  vue  social  et  ^conomique.  Paris,  1891. 
Gazes,  L^on.  Le  Monopole  postale.  Paris,  1900. 
Delmas,    Albert.       Les     Agents    des    Postes    et    le    Parlement 

E6publicain.     Paris,  1902. 
Gallois,   E.      La   Poste   et   les   Moyens    de    Communication  des 

Peuples  a  travers  les  Si^cles.     Paris,  1894. 
GouiN,    M.    (Administrateur   des    Postes).      Essai   historique   sur 

r^tabhssement  des  Postes  en  Prance.     Paris,  1823. 
Jaccottet,   Paul    (Professeur    Adjoint   a   I'Ecole    Professionnelle 

sup6rieure   des    Postes   et   des   T616graphes).      Traits   de 

Legislation  et  d' Exploitation  postales.    Paris,  1891. 


APPENDIXES  421 

Maury,  Lucien.     Les  Postes  romaines.     Paris,  1890. 

Mercier,   Ren6.      La  Franchise   postale.      Librairie   nouvelle   de 

Droit  et  de  Jurisprudence.     Paris,  1904. 
Paulhan,  L.     La  Poste  aux  Lettres. 
Rothschild,   A.   de.     Histoire  de  la  Poste   aux   Lettres.    Paris, 

1879. 

Les  Services  postaux  frangais.     Paris,  1905. 
Repertoire  du  Droit  administratif.     Paris,  1905. 

Official  Papers. 

Rapport  au  President  de  la  R^publique  sur  les  Conditions  du 
Fonctionnement  de  I'Administration  des  Postes  et  des  T616- 
graphes,  par  A.  Millerand,  le  Ministre  du  Commerce,  de 
rindustrie,  des  Postes,  et  des  Tel^graphes.     May  12,  1900. 

Proceedings  in  National  Assembly.   Reported  in  Moniteur  Universel. 

Proceedings  in  Parliament.     Reported  in  Journal  Officiel. 

Chambre  des  Deputes.  Rapport  fait  au  nom  de  la  Commission  du 
Budget  chargee  d'examiner  le  projet  de  loi  portant  fixation  du 
Budget  g6n6ral,  Postes,  T61egraphes,  et  Telephones.  (Annually.) 

Senat.  Rapport  fait  au  nom  de  la  Commission  du  Budget  chargee 
d'examiner  le  projet  de  loi  portant  fixation  du  Budget  g^n^ral, 
Postes,  Teiegraphes,  et  Telephones.     (Annually.) 


GERMANY 

Crole,  B.  E.     Geschichte  der  deutschen  Post  von  ihren  Anfangen 

bis  zur  Gegenwart.     Eisenach,  1889. 
Dambach,   Otto.     Das  Gesetz  iiber  das  Postwesen  des  deutschen 

Reiches  vom  28.  Oktober  1871.     Berlin,  1890. 
Dieckmann,  Carl.     Postgeschichte   deutscher   Staaten   seit  einem 

halben  Jahrtausend.     Leipsic,  1896. 
Faulhaber,    B.      Geschichte    des    Postwesens    in    Frankfurt   am 

Main.     Frankfurt  a.M.,  1883. 
Grosse,  Oskar.     Die  Beseitigung  des  Thurn  und  Taxis'schen  Post- 
wesens in  Deutschland  durch  Heinrich  Stephan.     Minden 

in  Westf.,  1898. 
Grunow,  F.  W.     Zur  Reform  des  Paketportos  in  Deutschland  und 

Osterreich-Ungarn.     Leipsic,  1898. 
Haass,  Friedrich.     Die  Post  und  der  Charakter  ihrer  Einkiinfte, 

mit  einem  Anhang  iiber  die  Packetpost.     Stuttgart,  1890. 
HoLZAMER,  J.     Zur  Geschichte  der  Briefportoreform  in  den  Cultur- 

staaten.     Tiibingen,  1879. 


422  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

Hull,   C.    H.      "  Die  deutsche  Eeichs-Packetpost."      Sammlung 

nationalokonomischer  und  statistischer  Abhandlungen  des 

staatswissenschaftlichen   Seminars   zu   Halle   (Saale)   von 

Prof.  Dr.  Conrad.     Jena,  1892. 
Jung,  J.    Entwickelung  des  deutschen  Post  und  Telegraphenwesen 

in  den  letzten  25  Jahren.    Leipsic,  1893. 
KoHLER,   B.      Die   Eeichs-Post-   und    Telegraphenterife    in   ihren 

Eechtlichen  Formen.     Berlin,  1907. 
Meyer,  A.     Die  deutsche  Post  im  Weltpostverein  und  im  Wechsel- 

verkehr.     Berlin,  1902. 
MuLLER,  C.  F.     Die  Fiirstlich  Thurn  und  Taxis'schen  Posten  und 

Posttaxen,     Jena,  1845. 
Posten  und  Posttaxen.     Freiburg  im  Breisgau,  1864. 
NiCKAU,  P.  J.     Wettbewerb  in  der  Kleingewerbeforderung  innerhalb 

des  Reichspostgebiets.     Wiirzburg,  1909. 
Ohmann,  F.     Die  Anfange  des  Postwesens  und  die  Taxis.     Leipzig, 

1909. 
Perrot,  F.     Die  Anwendung  des   Penny-Porto- Systems   auf  den 

Eisenbahntarif  und  das  Packet-Porto.     Eostock,  1872. 
PoRTAS,    K.       Deutsche    Postzeitungsgebiihrentarif.      Konigsberg, 

1914. 
EuBSAM,  Joseph.     Francis  von  Taxis,  the  Founder  of  the  Modern 

Post,  and  Johann  Baptista  von  Taxis,  his  Nephew,  1491- 

1541.     L'  Union  Postals,  Berne,1892. 
ScHMiD,   K.   A.   H.      Zur   Geschichte    der    Briefporto-Eeform    in 

Deutschland.     Jena,  1864. 
Schmidt,   Artur.      Die    Tarife    der    deutschen   Eeichs-Post-   und 

Telegraphenverwaltung.    Finanz-Archiv,  Berlin,   1905-6. 
VON  Stephan,  Heinrich.    Geschichte  der  preussischen  Post.  Berlin, 

1859. 
Ullrich,  P.     Die  Finanzen  der  Eeichs-  Post-  und  Telegraphenver- 
waltung.    Stettin,  1913. 

Die  Brieftaxe  in  Deutschland.     Freiburg  im  Breisgau,  1862. 
Die  Uebernahme  der  Privat-Beforderungsbetriebe  durch  die  Eeichs- 
Postverwaltung.        Deutsche      Verkehrs-Zeitung,     Berlin, 
March  1901. 
Handworterbuch  der  Staatswissenschaften.     Jena,  1901  and  1910. 
Allgemeine   Dienstanweisung   fiir   Post   und   Telegraphie.     Berlin, 

1901. 
Archiv  fiir  Post  und  Telegraphie.      Beihefte   zum    Amtsblatt  des 

Eeichs-Postamts.    Fortnightly.    Berlin. 
Blatter  fiir  Post  und  Telegraphie.     Zeitschrift  der  hoheren  Post- 

und  Telegraphen-Beamten.     Berlin. 


APPENDIXES  423 

Stenographische  Berichte  iiber  die  Verhandlungen  des  Reichstags. 
Berlin.     (Cited  Beichstag,  Official  Beports.) 

GENERAL 

AcwoRTH,  W.  M.     Elements  of  Railway  Economics.    Oxford,  1905. 
Adams,  H.  C.     Science  of  Finance.     New  York,  1909. 
Alexander,  E.  Porter.     Railway  Practice.     New  York,  1887. 
Baines,  F.  E.     Posts,  Telegraphs,  and  Telephones,  and  their  Rela- 
tion to  Trade.     London,  1896. 
Bastable,  C.  F,     Public  Finance.     London,  1903. 
Bennett,  A.  R.     The  Telephone  Systems  of  the  Continent  of  Europe. 

London,  1895. 
BuRRiTT,  Elihu.     Ocean  Penny  Postage.     London,  1849, 
CoHN,  G.     The  Science  of  Finance.     Translated  by  T.  B.  Veblen. 

Chicago,  1895. 
CoLSON,  C.     Railway  Rates  and  Traffic.     London,  1914. 
Darwin,  Leonard.     Municipal  Trade.     London,  1903. 
Ely,  R.  T.    Taxation  in  American  States  and  Cities.     New  York, 

1888. 
Farrer,  Lord.     The  State  in  its  Relation  to  Trade.     London,  1902. 
Fischer,  P.  D.     Post  und  Telegraphie  im  Weltverkehr.     Berlin, 

1879. 
GiFFEN,  Sir  R.     Essays  in  Finance.     London,  1890. 
Grierson,  J.     Railway  Rates,  English  and  Foreign.     London,  1886. 
Haass,  Dr.  Friedrich.     Weltpostverein  und  Einheits-Porto  (Welt- 
Penny  Porto).     Heidenheim  (Brenz),  1914. 
Hadley,  a.  T.     Railroad  Transportation.   Its  History  and  its  Laws. 

New  York,  1886. 
Hamilton,  I.  G.  J.     An  Outline  of  Postal  History  and  Practice, 

with  a  History  of  the  Post  Office  in  India.     Calcutta,  1910. 
Jevons,   W.  S.      a    State    Parcel    Post.      Contemporary   BevieWt 

January  1879. 
Methods  of  Social  Reform.     London,  1883. 
Jones,  R.     The  Nature  and  First  Principle  of  Taxation.     London, 

1914. 
JuRGENSOHN,  Arved.     Wcltportoreform.     Berlin,  1910. 
Knoop,  D.     Outhnes  of  Railway  Economics.     London,  1913. 
Lee,  John.     Economics  of  Telegraphs  and  Telephones.     London, 

1913. 
Leroy-Beaulieu,  p.     Traite  de  la  Science  des  Finances.     Paris, 

1899. 
McGuLLOCH,  J.  R.     Taxation  and  the  Funding  System.     London, 

1863. 


424  RATES  OF  POSTAGE 

Mbrritt,   a.    N.      Scope   of   Government   Functions.     Journai  of 

Political  Economy,  Chicago,  July  1908. 
Meyer,  H.  E.     Public   Ownership   and   the   Telephone   in   Great 

Britain.     New  York,  1907. 
NoRTHCOTE,  Stafford.    Twenty  Years  of  Financial  Policy.    London, 

1862. 
Parnell,  Sir  H.     On  Financial  Keform.     London,  1832. 
Plehn,  C.  C.     Introduction  to  Public  Finance.     New  York,  1909. 
EiPLEY,  W.  Z.     Eailway  Problems.     Boston,  U.S.A.,  1907. 
Bay,  L.     Dictionnaire  des  Finances.     Paris,  1889. 
Sbligman,  E.  E.  a.     Essays  in  Taxation.     New  York,  1913. 
Spencer,  Herbert.     The  Man  versus  the  State.     London,  1884. 
Stein,  L.  von.     Lehrbuch  der  Finanzwissenschaft.     Leipsic,  1885. 
Terra,  Otto  de.     Im  Zeichen  des  Verkehrs.     Berlin,  1899. 
Wagner,  Adolph,     Finanzwissenschaft.     Leipsic,  1890. 
WiLHELM,  Julius.     Frachtporto.     Vienna,  1900. 

Memoranda,  chiefly  relating  to  the  Classification  and  Incidence  of 
Imperial  and  Local  Taxes.     Bluebook  C.  9528,  1899. 

RuPFY,  M.  E.     L' Union  postale  universelle.     Sa  fondation  et  son 
d6veloppement.     Lausanne,  1900. 

Official  Documents  of  the  International  Postal  Congresses.     Pub- 
lished by  the  International  Bureau,  Berne. 
Statistique  g^n^rale  des  postes.     (Annually.)    Berne. 
L'Union  postale.     (Monthly.)     Berne. 

NoTB. — The  foregoing  list  includes  particulars  of  the  chief  works  consulted,  but 
is  not  in  any  sense  a  complete  bibliography. 


INDEX 


Act  of  Union,  15 

Acts,  Post  Office,  see  Post  Office  Acts 
Advertisement  duty,  117,  119,  128 
Agriculture,   encouragement    of,  190, 

245 
AMentaxe,  225,  240 
Allen,  Ralph,  18 
Armour,  R.,  138 
Australia,  parcel  post  in,  197 


Bastiat,  Frederic,  86 

Bath  Road,  21 

Binnenporto,  102 

Blackwood,  Sir  Arthur,  234,  279 

Blind,  rate  on  printed  matter  for,  244, 

320 
Bonaparte,  Louis  Napoleon,  167 
Book  Post,  32,  184,  220,  320 
Books,  rate  for,  see  Rates  of  postage 
Boten-Anstalten,  97,  209,  349,  350 
BoteriTneister,  97,  98 
Botenpostf  98 

Bourne,  Jonathan,  Senator,  196 
Buildings,   Post  Office,   cost  of,  293, 

309 
Burlamachi,  Philip,  10 
Bye  letters,  17 


Canadian  Magazine  Post,  346 

Cape  Breton,  posts  in,  51 

Carriers,  common,  and  conveyance  of 

letters,  1,  250,  380,  381 
Cartes  de  visite,  224 
Catalogues,  170,  172,  225 
Chesterfield,  Lady,  112 
Clanricarde,  Lord,  53,  345 


"  Class  "  newspapers,  124,  125 
Classification    of    mail     matter,    see 
Mail  matter ;  of  postal  revenue, 
see  Revenue,  net 
Clerks  of  the  Road,  114,  118,  403-11 
Closed  post,  222,  320  note 
Colis  encombrants,  280 
Colonial  letters,  rates  for,  345,  346 
Commercial    papers,     rate     for,    see 

Rates  of  postage 
Commissioners  of  Inquiry  into  Fees 

and  Emoluments,  1788,  115  note  ; 

into  Revenue  Departments,  1829, 

25,  114  note ;  of  Post  Office  In- 
quiry,   1837,     248     note;     1838, 

29 
Commissioners    on     Post     Office     in 

British  North  America,  Report  of, 

1840,  47,  48 
Committee,  Select,  on  Postage,  1838, 

30 ;  on  Newspaper  Stamps,  1861, 

122,  127 
Commonwealth,  The,  14 
Confederation      of      British      North 

American  Colonies,  1867,  55,  141, 

254 
Conference,  international  postal,  1863, 

265 
Congress,       Constitutional      (United 

States),  70  ;  Continental  (United 

States),  66,  149 
Congress,   international  postal,   1874, 

266;     1876,     270;      1878,     277; 

1880,  278 ;  1886,  280 ;  1897,  272, 

281 ;   1906,  274,  281 
Convention,    General    Postal    Union, 

1874,   270;    Parcel    Post    (inter- 
national), 1880,  279 


426 


RATES  OF  POSTAGE 


Conveyance  of  mails,  cost  of,  26,  35, 
47,  191,  263,  254,  292,  307,  308, 
321,  326 

Conway  Bridge,  additional  rate  for, 
339 

Cost  of  handling  (United  Kingdom), 
35,  311 ;  for  buildings,  293,  309 ; 
for  conveyance  of  mails,  26,  35, 47, 
191,  253,  254,  292,  307,  308,  321, 
326;  for  staff,  289,  301,  306;  for 
second-class  mail  (United  States), 
156,  158;  letters  (France),  85; 
newspapers  (Germany),  175 ; 
parcels  (Germany),  219,  (United 
States)  198 i;  postcards,  243 

Council  of  State,  11,  12 

Country  newspapers  (protected),  see 
Newspapers  (provincial) 

Couriers,  post,  see  Post-couriers 

Crimean  War,  125 

Cromwell,  Thomas,  3 

Cross-posts,  14,  17,  22,  70,  388 

Cumbersome  parcels,  additional 
charge  for,  206,  215,  280;  defini- 
tion of,  206  note,  280  note 

Cunard,  Samuel,  347 

Cunard  Steamship  Company,  348 

Cursores,  1,  2,  377 


Daily  post,  establishment  of,  in  Eng- 
land, 19 

Declaratory  Act,  1778,  44,  45 

Deficit,  on  newspapers,  133,  169,  176, 
294 ;  on  parcels,  190,  219,  294  ; 
on  second-class  mail,  147,  155, 
158,  162^ 

Delivery  fees,  107,  110,  180,  206,  249, 
258 

Deputy  Postmasters,  see  Postmasters 

Deputy  Postmaster-General  (North 
America),  37,  48,  52,  64,  136,  140, 
148 

Dockwra,  William,  183,  247 

Double  letter,  definition  of,  336 

Dragonerpost,  98 

Drop  letter,  254 

Duty  (paper),  117,  119  note  ;  (ad- 
vertisement), 117,  119,  128; 
(stamp),  117,  119,  121,  128 


East  India  Company,  344 

Elgin,  Lord,  53 

Evasion   of  postage,   16,   27,  48,  72, 

254 
Express   companies,   competition  for 

second-class  mail,  161 ;    delivery 

of  parcels,  193,  195 


Farm  (of  the  posts),  13,  14,  15,  70,  80, 

380 
Fee  letter,  see  Letters 
Finance,  35,  36 
Finlay,  Hugh,  37,  401 
First-class    mail     matter,     see    Mail 

matter,  classification  of 
Fittings   (for  sorting),   284;  cost   of, 

293 
Foot-messengers,  184,  221,  331,  378 
Foreign  letter  office,  8,  12,  13 
Foreign  posts,  see  Posts 
Fourth-class    mail    matter,   see   Mail 

matter,  classification  of 
Foxcroft,  Thomas,  66,  399 
Frank,  definition  of,  27  note 
Franking,  27,  49,  52,   114,  115,   116, 

118,  138,  148,  403-11 
Franklin,  Benjamin,   39,  63,   64,   66, 

148 
Freeling,  Sir  Francis,  22,  137,  138 
Freight  trains,  use  of  for  second-class 

mail,  163 


Gazette,  London,  113,  114 

Gazette,  Oxford,  113,  114 

General  post,  248 

General  post  delivery  (London),  248 

Germain,  Lord  George,  67 

German- Austrian  Postal  Union,  1850, 

213,  226,  236,  264 
Geschdftspajnere,  240 
Gladstone,  W.  E.,  126,  130 
Goddard,  William,  65 
Gratuitous  transit  (of  foreign  mails), 

268,  273,  275 


Halfpenny  Packet  Post,  222 
Hamilton,  Andrew,  60,  62,  392-9 


INDEX 


427 


Hamilton,  John,  64 

Hand- stamping  machines,  303 

Handling,  cost  of,  see  Cost  of  hand- 
ling ;  method  of,  284 

Hartington,  Marquess  of,  130 

Heaton,  Sir  J.  Henniker,  346 

Heriot,  John,  40 

Hickes,  James,  113 

Hill,  Matthew  Davenport,  29 

Hill,  Sir  Rowland,  23-30,  47,  72,  74, 
84,  127,  220,  312,  323 

Horse-posts,  see  Posts 

Howe,  John,  43,  139 


Illustrated  London  Netas,  129 
Inland  letter  office,  10,  12 
International  Parcel  Post,  see  Parcel 
post 

Jaccottey,  P.,  171 
Joyce,  H.,  17 

King's  messengers,  1,  4,  6,  377 


Landbestellgeldf  110 
Landkutschen,  97 
Landporto,  102 
Laurier,  Sir  Wilfred,  147 
L'Estrange,  Roger,  112,  113 
Letter  rate,  see  Rates  of  postage 
Letters,       definition      of      *' single," 

"  double,"  "  treble,"  336  ;  bye,  17 ; 

cross-post,  17  ;  drop,  254  ;  fee,  51 ; 

way,  18,   50 ;  average  weight  of, 

33,  291,  308 
Licences,  issue    of,    by   Post    Office, 

357 
Licensing  Act,  1662,  112,  117 
Lichfield,  Lord,  29 
Local      newspapers    (protected),    see 

Newspapers  (provincial) 
Local  penny  posts,  250 
Local  rates,  see  Rates  of  postage 
London  Gazette,  113,  114 
London  Penny  Post,  183,  247,  342 
London  Threepenny  Post,  252 
London  Twopenny  Post,  252 


Loss    on   certain  branches    of    Post 
Office  business,  see  Deficit 


Maberley,  Colonel,  29,  184 
Magazine  Post  to  Canada,  346 
Magazines,  transmission  by  post,  150*, 

152,  154,  155,  159,  346 
Mail-coach,  introduction  of,  21 
Mail  matter,  classification  of,  75, 152, 

191,  244 
Mail  order  business,  196 
Mattres  de  poste,  37,  39 
Manley,  John,  13,  383 
Maryland  Journal,  65 
Master  of  the  Posts,  2,  12 
Menai   Bridge,    additional    rate    for, 

339 
Merchant  Adventurers,  8 
Merchant  Companies,  8 
Mercurius  Pitblicus,  112 
Military  post  routes,  40,  42,  43 
Millerand,  A.,  92,  93 
Monopoly,  postal,  7,  9, 13,  60,  80,  255, 

259,  325,  330,  340,  358,  380-4 
Monsell,  W.,  133 
Muddiman,  Henry,  112, 113 
Mulock,  Sir  WUUam,  57,  146,  147 
Murray,  Robert,  247 


Neale,  Thomas,  60,  62,  391-8 

Net  revenue,  see  Revenue,  net 

New  England  colonies,  59 

Newsbooks,  111,  112 

Newsletters,  111 

Newspaper  rate,  see  Rates  of  postage 

Newspaper  Stamps,  Select  Committee 
on,  1851,  122,  127 

Newspaper  supplements,  171,  172, 
181 

Newspapers,  average  weight  of,  132, 
142,  308;  cost  of  transmission, 
175,  176;  franking  of,  148;  free 
transmission  of,  51,  56,  57,  139, 
140,  142,  143,  144  ;  "  class,"  124, 
125;  political,  167,  168;  pro- 
vincial (protected),  142,  146,  150, 
151,  166, 169, 177 ;  transient,  137, 
152 


428 


RATES  OF  POSTAGE 


Nicholas,  Sir  Edward,  113 

North  German  Union,  108,  213,  214, 

228,  257 
Nuncii,  1,  2,  377 


Old  Age  Pensions,  payment  of,  357 
Open  post,  222,  320  note 
Oxenbridge,  Clement,  13 
Oxford  Gazette,  113,  114 


Pacific  mails,  75 

Packet  post,  see  Post  for  the  packet 

Packet  postage,  339 

Page,  W.  J.,  49,  52 

Palmer,  John,  20 

Paper  duty,  117,  119 

Papiers  d'affaires,  93,  239 

Parcel  Post,  international,    185,  204, 

206,277;  local,  207,  208;  loss  on, 

190,  219,  295,  334 
Parcel  Post  Act,  1882,  188,  288 
Parcel  rate,  see  Rates  of  postage 
Parcels,  cost  of  transportation,   188, 

218,    219,     311,    321,   325,   331; 

average  weight  of,  33,  190,  216, 

325 
Paris,  University  of,  78,  79 
Parliamentary  Intelligencer,  112 
Parnell,  Sir  Henry,  24 
Pattern   Post,   see  Rates   of  postage 

(samples) 
Penalty  frank,  192 
Penny  Post  (London),  183,  247,  342 
Penny  posts  (local),  250 
Penny  postage,  uniform,  introduction 

of,  23 
Penrose  Overstreet  Commission,  156, 

157 
Periodicals,  transmission  by  post,  150, 

152, 154, 155,  159 
Pitt,  WiUiam,  21,  344 
Political  newspapers,  167,  168 
Poor  Man's  Guardian,  120 
Popish  Plot,  14 
Post  Office  Acts — 

1657,  13  ;  1660,  14,  337,  341 ;  1711, 

15,  229,  248,  337,  343  ;  1730,  249, 

251;  1763,  17;  1764,  115;  1765, 


20,  250,  338  ;  1784,  21,  338;  1794, 
251;  1795,230;  1796,338;  1797, 
22;  1799,  344;  1801,  22,230,251, 
338 ;  1802, 116 ;  1805,  22, 230,  252, 
338  ;  1812,  22, 230,  339 ;  1814,  344 ; 
1815,  345  ;   1836,  122 ;    1837,  339, 
347  ;  1838,  288 ;  1839,  231 ;  1840, 
231 ;  1853,  128 ;  1855,  128  ;  1870, 
131,  221 ;  1882,   188;    1893,288; 
1908,  131 
Post  Office  revenue,  see  Revenue,  net 
Postage,  origin  of  term,  2,  6  ;  prepay- 
ment of,  27,  238,  251;  rates  of, 
see  Rates  of  postage 
Postage,  uniform,  see  Uniform  postage 
Postage  stamps,  introduction  of,  27 
Postal  monopoly,  see  Monopoly 
Postal  traffic,   growth  of,  in   United 

Kingdom,  32 
Postal  Union  Convention,  1874,  270 
Post-boten,  97 
Post-boys,  16,  20,  22 
Postcards,  241 ;  average  weight  of,  308 
Post-couriers,  9,   39,   41,   49,   51,  52, 

79,  81,  99,  374,  376 
Post  for  the  packet,  5,  8,  378 
Post-horses,    2,  4,    5,   6,    20,   374-7, 

381,  385 
Postmasters,  5,  7,  9,  18,  49,  51,  66,  71, 
114,  192,  254,  342,  387,  390,  397, 
404,  406,  410 
Post-riders,  4,  5,  20,  22,  67 
Post-roads,  14,  17 
Post-stages,  2,  20,  38,  79,  99,  374-7 
Posts,  2 ;   cross-posts,  14,  17,  22,  70, 
388 ;  extraordinary,  3,  6 ;  foreign, 
8,  340;  horse,  2,  22,  37,  61,  65, 
79,  99,  350 ;  military,  40,  43,  98  ; 
ministerial,    67 ;     municipal,    6 ; 
ordinary,  3  ;   parliamentary,  67  ; 
regular,  2,  6  ;     temporary,  3,  6 ; 
thorough,  4,  5  ;  Thurn  and  Taxis, 
108,   350;     travelling,    3-6,    79; 
university,  6,  78 
Povey,  Charles,  250 
Power  stamping  machines,  303 
Prepayment  of  postage,  27,  238,  251 
Press,  restrictions  upon,  112,  117,  119, 

122,  126,  166,  167,  180 
Prideaux,  Edmund,  11 


INDEX 


429 


Prince  Edward  Island,  posts  in,  52 
Profit,  Post  Office,  see  Eevenue,  net 
Prospectuses,   transmission   by   post, 

170,  172,  225 
Provincial  newspapers,sce  Newspapers 
Provost,  Sir  George,  42 


Do  Quester,  Matthew,  7,  340 


Bailway  Clearing  Committee,  189 
Railway  companies,  remuneration  of, 
for  conveyance  of  mails,  186,  288 
Railway  rates,  basis  of,  321,  322,  323 
Randolph,  Thomas,  3 
Rates  of  Postage — 

England. 

Letters,  1635,  9 ;  1649,  11 ;  1657, 13, 
336;  1660,  14,  337;  1711,  15,  337; 
1765,  20,  338 ;  1784,  21,  338 ;  1797, 
1801,  1805,  22,  338;  1812,  22, 
339  ;  1840,  23,  339  ;  1865,  31,  339  ; 
1871,  31,  340;  1885,  1897,  32, 
340;  1915,  36,  340 

Newspapers,  1836,  122 ;  1853,  1855, 
128;  1870,  131;  1915,  135 

Boole  Post,  1847,  220;  1853,  1866, 
1870,  221;  1897,  222;  1915,  223 

Parcels,  1883,  187  ;  1915,  190 

Samples,  1753,  1795,  1805,  1812 
230 ;  1837,  1863,  231 ;  1864,  1870 
232 ;  1887,  1897,  234 ;  1915,  235 

Commercial  Papers,  1660,  238 
1847,  239 

Local  Rates,  1680,  247  ;  1730,  249 
1794,  1801,  251 ;  1805,  252 

Canada. 

Letters  (First-class  Mail),  1765,  38; 

1842,  49-52  ;  1851,  55 ;  1867,  66 ; 

1889,  1898,  57 
Newspapers     (Second-class     Mail), 

1840,  136  ;  1844,  140  ;  1867,  141 ; 

1882,  143;  1898,  145;  1903,  147 
Book  Post  (Third-class  Mail),  245 
Fourth-class  Modi,  245 
Parcels,  1914,  866 


Local  Bates,  1867,  1889,  254  ;  1898, 
255 

United  States  of  America. 

Letters  (First-class  Mail),  1693,  61 ; 
1711,  1765,  63;  1775,  66;  1777, 
68;  1780,  1781,  1782,  69;  1792, 
1814,  71;  1845,  73;  1851,  1863, 
75 ;  1883,  1885,  76 

Newspapers  (Second-class  Mail), 
1792,  149 ;  1794,  1825,  150  ;  1845, 

1847,  1851,  151 ;  1863,  1872, 152 ; 
1879,  153 

Booh   Post   (Third-class  Mail),  76, 

245 
Fourth-class  Mail,  76,  245 
Parcels,  1913,  201 ;  1914,  202 

France. 
Letters,  1576,  1627,  1676,  80 ;  1703, 
1759,   81;    1791,   82;    1827,   83; 

1849,  85;  1850,  1854,  1871,  88; 
1876,  1878,  90;  1906,  94;  1910, 
1917,  96 

Newspapers,  1791,  1795,  1799,  165  ; 

1827,  1850,  166  ;  1856,  167 ;  1878, 

1895,  1908,  169 
Booh  Post,  1791,  1856,  223 ;  1878, 

224;  1909,  226 
Parcels,  1881,  205  ;  1897,  206 
Samples,   1791,    1856,    235;    1871, 

1873,  1875,  236 

Papiers  d' Affaires,  1856, 1871, 1876, 

240 
Local  Bates,  1663,  266  ;  1769,  1878, 

266 

Germany. 
Letters,  1712,  1762,  100;  1766, 1770, 

1822,  101 ;  1824,  102 ;  1844,  104 ; 

1848,  105  ;  1850,  106 ;  1860,  1861, 
107  ;  1868,  1871,  1900,  109 

Newspapers,  1821,  1848,  ll'i;   1899, 

178 
Booh  Post,   1712,  1821,  1824,  225 ; 

1850,  226  ;  1856,  227  ;  1871,  1874, 
228 ;  1890,  229 

Parcels,  1699,  1713,  210;  1762, 
1766,  211 ;  1770,  1805,  1811,  1824, 
212;  1842,  1850,  1867,  1867,  213; 

1874,  214-16 


430 


RATES  OF  POSTAGE 


Samples,   1825,    1850,    236;    1860, 
1863,  1871,  237 ;  1875,  1914,  238 
Geschdfts]) a/pier e,  1900,  241 
Local  Bates,  1852,  256  ;  1860,  1865, 
1867,  257;  1875,  258;  1900,  261 

International. 
Letters,  1874,  270 ;  1906,  275 
Parcels,  1880,  1886,  280  ;  1897,  281; 
1906,  282 

Rates,  international  transit,  see  Tran- 
sit rates 

Redirection  (of  letters,  etc.)»  283, 
note  2 

Reform  Act,  1832,  119 

Revenue,  net,  16,  22,  31,  35,  58,  63, 
71,  76,  80,  83,  87,  89,  91,  94,  99, 
100,  104,  105,  109,  253,  314,  353, 
355,  358;  theoretical  character 
of,  362,  363 

Rice,  Spring,  122 

Richelieu,  80 

Riders  in  post,  4,  5,  20,  22,  67 

Rural  delivery,  89,  110,  161,  314 
note,  331,  332;  free,  161 


Sample  rate,  see  Rates  of  postage 

Savings  Bank,  Post  Office,  33,  357 

Schriftentaxe,  225,  240 

Second-class  Mail,  see  Mail  matter, 
classification  of ;  Congressional 
Commission  on,  1907,  156  ;  1912, 
158;  deficit,  147,  155,  158,  162; 
use  of  freight  trains  for,  163 

Select  Committee  on  Postage,  Report 
of,  1838,  30;  on  Newspaper 
Stamps,  1851,  122,  127 

Seven  Years'  War,  81,  100,  211 

Ship  Letter  Office,  344 

Ship  letters,  339,  342 

Single  letter,  definition  of,  336 

Smith,  Adam,  329,  330 

Sorting  frames,  285 

Stafetti,  8,  378 

Staff,  33-5  ;  cost  of,  289,  301,  306 

Stage  coach,  20,  250  note,  385 

Stamp  duty  (on  newspapers),  117, 119, 
121,  128 

Stamping  machines,  303 


Stamps,  postage,  introduction  of,  27 
Stanhope,  Lord,  7,  341,  380 
State  control  of  Post  Office,  328 
Stayner,  T.  A.,  138 
Stephan,  H.  von,  241,  266 
Supplemental  services,  33,  109,  357 
Supplements    (newspaper),   132,    171, 

172,  181 
Surveyors  (post  office),  20,  21 
Sutherland,  Daniel,  43 


Taxes  on  knowledge,  126,  142 
Taxis,  J.  von,  350 
Telegraphs,  Post  Office,  33,  358 
Telephones,  Post  Office,  33,  358 
Temporary  uniform   fourpenny  rate, 

30  note 
Third-class    Mail    Matter,    see    Mail 

matter,  classification  of 
Thirty  Years'  War,  209,  353 
Thorough  Post,  4,  5 
Threepenny  Post  (London),  252 
Thurn  and  Taxis  Posts,  108,  350 
Times  newspaper,  121,  129 
Trade  journals,  transmission  by  post, 

132,  147,  159 
Transient  newspapers,  137,  152 
Transit,  gratuitous,  268,  273,  275 
Transit  rates,  international,  267,  270, 

271,  273,  275,  279,  281 
Travelling  Post,  3-6,  79 
Treble  letter,  definition  of,  336 
Tuke,  Brian,  2,  3 
Tupper,  Sir  Charles,  57 
Twopenny  Post  (London),  252 


Uniform  postage,  23,  26,  28,  54,  72, 

75,  85,  108,  312,  323 
Union  generale  des  Posies,  269 
Union  postale  universelle,  269,  note  3 
Universal  penny  postage,  276,  348 
Universal  Postal  Union,  224,  229 
University  posts,  6,  78 
Urgent  parcels,  special  fee  for,  215 


Wages  (of  postmasters),  3,  5 
Wages,  Post  Office,  34,  297 


INDEX 


431 


Walkley,  A.  B.,  275  note 

Wanamaker,  J.,  77,  154,  155,  192 

Ward,  Edmund,  137,  139 

Ward,  Sir  J.  G.,  276 

Warwick,  Earl  of,  11 

Way  letter,  18,  50 

Way  Office,  49,  50 

Weighing  of   mails   (United   States), 

156,  157 
Wells,  H.  G.,  134 


West,  Robert,  398 
Williamson,  Joseph,  113 
Witherings,   Thomas,  8,  9,   12,   378, 
381 


Yearly  express,  40 

Zone  rates,  177,  199,  201,  202,  215, 
356 


Printed  in  Great  Britain  hy 

TTNVON  BBOTHBBB,  UMIIBD,  THB  OBE8HASI  PKEBS,  WOEINO  AND  LONDON 


LIST    OF    STUDIES    IN 
ECONOMICS    &    POLITICAL    SCIENCE 

A  Series  of  Monographs  by  Lecturers  and  Students  connected 
with  the  Lotidon  School  of  Economics  and  Political  Science 

EDITED   BY   THE 

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AND   POLITICAL  SCIENCE 

1.  The  History  of  Local  Bates  in  England.     The  substance  of 

five  lectures  given  at  the  School  in  November  and  December,  1895.  By  EDWIN 
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1\  S.  King  and  Son. 

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School  in  February  and  March,  1896.  By  the  Hon.  Bertraxd  Russell,  B.A., 
late  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.  With  an  Appendi.\  on  Social 
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M.  J.  VAX  DEN  Heuvel,  Professor  of  International  Law  in  the  University  of 
Louvain.  Translated  by  C.  P.  Trevelyan,  M.A.,  Trinity  College,  Cambridge, 
and  edited  with  Notes,  Introduction,  Bibliography,  and  Appendices,  by  LILIAN 
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39 


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Transcribed  and  edited  from  the  original  Roll  in  the  possession  of  the  Eccle- 
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T.  Fisher  Vnivin. 

29.  English  Apprenticeship  and  Child  Labour:   a  History. 

By  O.  JOCELYN  DUXLOP,  D.Sc.  (Econ.),  London  ;  with  a  Supplementary  Section 
on  the  Modern  Problem  of  Juvenile  Labour,  by  the  Author  and  R.  D,  Dexman, 
M.P.     1912  ;  390  pp.,  bibliography,  demy  Svo,  cloth.     los.  6d.  net. 

T.  Fisher  Unwin. 

30.  Origin   of  Property  and   the  Formation  of  the  Village 

Community.  By  J.  St,  Lewinski,  D.Ec.Sc,  Brussels.  1913  ;  xi  and  71  pp., 
demy  Svo,  cloth.     3s.  6d.  net.  Constable  and  Co. 

31.  The  Tendency  towards  Industrial  Combination  (in  some 

Spheres  of  British  Industry).  By  G.  R.  Carter,  M.A.  1913  ;  xxiii  and  391 
pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth.     Cs.  net.  Constable  and  Co. 

32.  Tariffs  at  Work  :  an  Outline  of  Practical  Tariff  Adminis- 
tration. By  John  Hedley  Higgixson,  B.Sc.  (Econ.),  Mitchell  Student  of  the 
University  of  London  ;  Cobden  Prizeman  and  Silver  Medallist.  1913  ;  150  pp., 
crown  Svo,  cloth.     2s.  net.  P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

33.  English  Taxation,  1640-1799.  An  Essay  on  Policy  and 
Opinion.  By  WiLLiAM  Kexxedy,  M.A.,  D.Sc.  (Econ.),  London  ;  Shaw  Research 
Student  of  the  London  School  of  Economics  and  Political  Science.  1913  ;  200  pp., 
demy  Svo.     7s.  6d.  net.  (»".  Bell  and  Sons. 

34.  Emigration  from  the  United  Kingdom  to  North  America, 

1763-1912.      By  Staxley  C.  Johxson,  M.A.,  Cambridge,  D.Sc.  (Econ.),  London, 

1913  ;  xvi  and  387  pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth.    6s.  net.  G.  RoiUledge  and  Sons. 

35.  The   Financing  of  the  Hundred  Years'  War,  1337-1360. 

By  Schuyler  B.  Tekry.     1913  ;  xvi  and  199  pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth.    6s.  net. 

Constable  and  Co. 

36.  Kinship  and  Social  Organisation.     By  W.  H.  R.  Rivers, 

M.D.,  F.R.S.,  Fellow  of  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge.  1914  ;  96  pp.,  demy  Svo, 
cloth.     2s.  6d.  net.  Constable  and  Co. 

37.  The  Nature  and  First  Principle  of  Taxation.     By  Robert 

JOXES,  D.Sc.  (Econ.),  London.  With  a  Preface  by  SIDNEY  WEBB,  LL.B.  1914  ; 
xvii  and  299  pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth.     7s.  6d,  net.  P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

38.  The  Export  of  Capital.     By  C.  K.  Hobson,  M.A.,  F.S.S., 

Shaw  Research  Student  of  the  London  School  of  Economics  and  Political  Science. 

1914  ;  xxv  and  264  pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth.     7s.  6d.  net.  Constable  and  Co. 

39.  Industrial  Training.     By  Norman  Burrell  Dearle,  M.A., 

D.Sc.  (Econ.),  London,  Fellow  of  All  Souls  College,  O.xford  ;  Shaw  Research 
Student  of  the  London  School  of  Economics  and  Political  Science.  1914  ;  610  pp., 
demy  Svo,  cloth.     los.  6d.  net.  P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

40.  Theory  of  Rates  and  Fares.     From  the  French  of  Charles 

Colson's  "  Transports  et  tarifs  "  (3rd  edition,  1907),  by  L.  R.  CHRISTIE,  G,  Leed- 
HAM,  and  C.  Travis.  Edited  and  arranged  by  CHARLES  Travis,  with  an  Intro- 
duction by  W.  M.  ACWORTH,  M.A.  1914  ;  viii  and  195  pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth. 
3s.  6d.  net.  G.  Bell  and  Sons,  Ltd. 

41.  Advertising :  a   Study   of  a   Modem   Business   Power. 

By  G.  W.  GOODALL,  B.Sc.  (Econ.),  London.  With  an  Introduction  by  Sidney 
Webb,  LL.B.  1914;  xviii  and  91  pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth.  2s.  6d.  net;  paper 
IS.  6d.  net.  Constable  and  Co. 

42.  English  Railways  :  their  Development  and  their  Relation 

to  the  State.  By  Edward  Carxegie  Cleveland-Stevexs,  M.A.,  Christ  Church, 
Oxford  ;  Shaw  Research  Student  of  the  London  School  of  Economics  and  Political 
Science.    1915  ;  xvi  and  325  pp.,  demy  Svo,  cloth.  6s.  net.    G.  Rontledge  and  Sons, 


43.  The  Lands  of  the  Scottish  Kings  in  England.  By  Margaret 

F.  Moore,  M.A.  With  an  Introduction  by  P.  HUME  BROWN,  M.A.,  LL.D.,  D.D., 
Professor  of  Ancient  Scottish  History  and  Palaeography,  University  of  Edinburgh! 
1915  ;  demy  8vo,  cloth.     5s,  net.       '  George  Allen  and  Unwin. 

44.  The  Colonisation  of  Australia,  1829-1842 :  the  Wakefield 
Experiment  in  Empire  Building.  By  Richard  C.  Mills,  LL.M,,  Melbourne, 
D.Sc.  (Econ.),  London.  With  an  Introduction  by  GRAHAM  WALLAS,  M.A., 
Professor  of  Political  Science  in  the  University  of  London.  1915  ;  demj'  8vo, 
cloth.     los.  6d.  net.  Sidgwick  and  Jackson, 

45.  The  Philosophy  of  Nietzsche.     By  A.  Wolf,  M.A.,  D.Lit., 

Fellow  of  University  College,  London  ;  Reader  in  Logic  and  Ethics  in  the 
University  of  London.     1915  ;  114  pp.,  demy  8vo,  cloth.     3s.6d.net. 

Constable  and  Co. 

46.  English  Public  Health  Administration.   By  B.  G.  Banning- 

TON.  With  a  Preface  by  GRAHAM  WALLAS,  M.A.,  Professor  of  Political  Science 
in  the  University  of  London.     1915  ;  338  pp.,  demy  8vo,  cloth.     7s.  6d.  net. 

P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

47.  British  Incomes  and   Property.     By  J.  C.  Stamp,  D.Sc. 

(Econ.),  London.     1916;  xvi,  538  pp.,  demy  8vo,  cloth.     12s.  6d.  net. 

P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

48.  Village  Government  in  British  India.     By  John  Matthai. 

D.Sc.  (Econ.),  London.  Sometime  Tutor  in  History,  Madras  Christian  College, 
"Vakil  "  of  the  High  Court  of  Judicature,  Madras.  With  a  Preface  by  Professor 
Sidney  Webb.    I9i5;.xix,  211  pp., demy  8vt),  cloth.   4s.6d.net.     'i\  Fisher  Umcin. 

Monographs  on  Sociology, 

3.  The   Material   Culture   and    Social    Institutions   of  the 

Simpler  Peoples.  By  L.  T.  Hobhouse,  M.A,,  Martin  White  Professor  of 
Sociology  in  the  University  of  London,  G.  C.  WHEELER,  B.A,,  and  M.  GINSBERG, 
B.A.     19 1 5  ;  300  pp.,  demy  8vo,  paper.     2s.  6d.  net.  Chapman  and  Hall. 

4.  Village  and  Town  Life  in  China.     By  Tao  Li  Kung,  B.Sc. 

(Econ.),  London,  and  Leong  Yew  Koh,  LL.B.,  B.Sc.  (Econ.),  London.  Edited 
by  L.  T.  Hobhouse,  M.A.     1915  ;  153  pp.,  demy  8vo,  cloth.     5s.  net. 

George  Allen  and  Unwin. 

Series  of  Bibliographies  by  Students  of  the  School. 

1.  A  Bibliography  of  Unemployment  and  the  Unemployed. 

By  F.  Isabel  Taylor,  B.Sc.  (Econ.),  London.  Preface  by  Sidney  Webb,  LL.B. 
1909 ;  xix  and  71  pp.,  demy  8vo,  cloth.     2S.  net ;  paper,  is.  6d.  net. 

P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

2.  Two  Select  Bibliographies  of  Mediaeval  Historical  Study. 

By  Margaret  F.  Moore,  M.A.  With  Preface  and  Appendix  by  Hubert  Hall, 
F.S.A.     1912  ;   185  pp.,  demy  8vo,  cloth.     5s.  net.  Constable  and  Co. 

3.  Bibliography  of  Roadmaking  and  Roads  in  the  United 

Kingdom.  By  Dorothy  Ballen.  An  enlarged  and  revised  edition  of  a  similar 
work  compiled  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sidney  Webb  in  1906.  1914  ;  xviii  and  281  pp., 
demy  8vo,  cloth.     15s.  net.  P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

4.  A  Select  Bibliography  for  the  Study,  Sources,  and  Litera- 
ture of  English  Mediaeval  Economic  History.  Edited  by  Hubert  Hall,  F.S.A. 
1914  ;  xiii  and  350  pp.,  demy  8vo,  cloth.     5s.  net.  P.  S.  King  and  Son. 

Series  of  Geographical  Studies. 

1.  The  Reigate  Sheet  of  the  One-inch  Ordnance  Survey.     A 

Study  in  the  Geography  of  the  Surrey  Hills.  By  Ellen  Smith.  Introduction  by 
H.  J.  Mackixder,  M.A.,  M.P.  1910  ;  xix  and  no  pp.,  6  maps,  23  illustrations, 
crown  8vo,  cloth.     5s.  net.  A.  and  C.  Black. 

2.  The   Highlands  of  South-West   Surrey.     A  Geographical 

study  in  Sand  and  Clay.  By  E.  C.  MATTHEWS.  191 1  ;  viii  and  124  pp.,  7  maps, 
8  illustrations,  8vo,  cloth.     5s.  net.  A.  and  C.  Black. 

Series  of  Contour  Maps  of  Critical  JJreas. 
1.   The  Hudson-Mohawk  Gap.      Prepared  by  the  Diagram  Com- 
pany from  a  map  by  B.  B.  Dickinson.    1913  ;  i  sheet  18"  by  22J".    Scale  20  miles 
to  I  inch.    6d.  net ;  post  free,  folded  yd,,  rolled  gd.  Si/ton,  Praed  and  Co. 


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